Beyond petroleum?

In Bush’s state of the union address we all heard him say the words “addicted to oil”. I was elated for the rest of the week. I know, I know. This doesn’t mean he’ll actually do anything about it, but at least we can now hear the problem addressed from all fronts. CNN’s recent hour long report, the “don’t say we didn’t warn you” special, was one of the more public assessments, showing six times over last weekend during prime time. (We Were Warned: The Coming Oil Crisis.)

Unfortunately their report slanted the problem with oil as a homeland security risk, which it is, but that’s like saying you’ll need a blood transfusion if you get hit by a car when what’s really putting your health at risk is morbid obesity. And that’s what America is, morbidly obese from our intake of oil.

Our history since the 1930’s was shaped by huge oil reserves. This glut of oil made us the oil dependant nation we are today. All that oil money has been steadily influencing first Texas, then national policy in order to assure a market for oil that was so cheap no one could make a profit on it unless we were all convinced or forced to transport ourselves and everything we needed over long distances, in gigantic vehicles, as often as possible and use manufactured goods made by oil consuming factories and buy only food made with oil derived pesticides, harvested by humongous oil driven machines.

It is why we have a train system that would put Bulgaria to shame and public bus systems that make you feel you’re picking up a welfare check should you ever have to take one. It is why we have sprawl, and suburbs full of kids that have to be driven everywhere and why, if you want a tax deduction (up to $100,000) on the car you lease for your business, it has to weigh in at 6,000lbs. Huh? But we’re an oil importer now, shouldn’t we be giving tax deductions to high mileage cars?

Eenrgy Bulletin