[rogerhb]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Renfield', 'I') hope I don't come across as too polyanna-ish here, but I think part of the reason there is such a lack of political will in this country now is because we have no REAL leaders. We have had politicians in the past that have called for sacrifice and been admired because of it. FDR and Kennedy come to mind, Lincoln...

[Renfield]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rogerhb', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Renfield', 'I') hope I don't come across as too polyanna-ish here, but I think part of the reason there is such a lack of political will in this country now is because we have no REAL leaders. We have had politicians in the past that have called for sacrifice and been admired because of it. FDR and Kennedy come to mind, Lincoln...

[Pops]

The current administrations constituency (as opposed to their supporters) is the same as it has been for republicans for a hundred years – the 1%. Read a little history and you see the change in tone (or at least the change in delivery) came with Nixon’s Southern Strategy, the religious right was only added for icing lately.

Point being, PO in the medium term will not hurt that constituency and the news machine at the White House can churn out enough red herrings to divert the attention of the 'supporters'.

As for the left, having lost their natural constituency to the well-written bumper stickers of the right, they are too busy pandering to the interests of the other 99 1-percent groups and defending themselves from the flag wearing, apple pie eating bible thumpers.

And finally there is the citizenry, who will continue to do as they always have until forced to do otherwise, in fact I read a post from a PO.com member yesterday outlining his/her plan to do just that.

I can't name a politician who ever stepped into the breach until it was wide enough he wouldn’t need to stand alone.

[Renfield]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', 'T')he current administrations constituency (as opposed to their supporters) is the same as it has been for republicans for a hundred years – the 1%. Read a little history and you see the change in tone (or at least the change in delivery) came with Nixon’s Southern Strategy, the religious right was only added for icing lately.

Point being, PO in the medium term will not hurt that constituency and the news machine at the White House can churn out enough red herrings to divert the attention of the 'supporters'.

As for the left, having lost their natural constituency to the well-written bumper stickers of the right, they are too busy pandering to the interests of the other 99 1-percent groups and defending themselves from the flag wearing, apple pie eating bible thumpers.

And finally there is the citizenry, who will continue to do as they always have until forced to do otherwise, in fact I read a post from a PO.com member yesterday outlining his/her plan to do just that.

I can't name a politician who ever stepped into the breach until it was wide enough he wouldn’t need to stand alone.

[Pops]

I guess one of the things that strike me as unique about Vietnam and civil rights is they were driven by a generation raised with an unprecedented level of luxury. My parents were children of the dust bowl and raised me on janitor pay but I had a standard of living 1,000 times any that had gone before.

We had the luxury of our parents memories of hardship combined with our (at least in my case) underling sense of guilt at our privileged lifestyle and I think felt a duty to right some fairly blatant wrongs.

My children, now in their twenties and thirties are amazed at some of my stories but don’t perceive duty to much but the Gap and Tommy Hillfinger. I love them, and I’m sure my it is my fault they have absolutely no comprehension of hardship, let alone any feeling of guilt regarding the culture they grew up in.

Not their fault of course, but they aren’t going to be very happy when they get the news.

Or more precisely get smacked with the reality – I gave them the news a while back.

[Renfield]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', 'I') guess one of the things that strike me as unique about Vietnam and civil rights is they were driven by a generation raised with an unprecedented level of luxury. My parents were children of the dust bowl and raised me on janitor pay but I had a standard of living 1,000 times any that had gone before.

We had the luxury of our parents memories of hardship combined with our (at least in my case) underling sense of guilt at our privileged lifestyle and I think felt a duty to right some fairly blatant wrongs.

My children, now in their twenties and thirties are amazed at some of my stories but don’t perceive duty to much but the Gap and Tommy Hillfinger. I love them, and I’m sure my it is my fault they have absolutely no comprehension of hardship, let alone any feeling of guilt regarding the culture they grew up in.

Not their fault of course, but they aren’t going to be very happy when they get the news.

Or more precisely get smacked with the reality – I gave them the news a while back.

[rogerhb]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Renfield', 'T')he US is the only country that I think can lead a serious multinational response to this crisis.

[Permanently_Baffled]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('clv101', 'T')here's a world of difference between actually making the peak oil speech to the nation and making really dumb decisions like building new airport runways and terminals in the UK.

In the UK we have the amount of government money going into renewable energy projects being similar to the rural bus subsidies. There are lots of dumb things government are doing and smart things that they aren't doing with respect to peak oil. That could change completely without anyone giving the peak oil speech to the nation or admitting we have a problem.

[Renfield]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rogerhb', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Renfield', 'T')he US is the only country that I think can lead a serious multinational response to this crisis.

[rogerhb]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Renfield', 'T')he U.S. is the only company in the world that encourages people to drive themselves to work in Army vehicles.

[Renfield]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rogerhb', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Renfield', 'T')he U.S. is the only company in the world that encourages people to drive themselves to work in Army vehicles.

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('clv101', ' ')So what’s wrong with this argument? Why doesn’t lack of governmental action indicate a lack of problem?

[TOKYO-EXPAT]

You are very right Monte... the big problem is I think China will step into that fight and basically declare a new carter doctine... they got screwed on their oil contracts in Iraq because of a US invasion and I dint see them alowing it to happen after they just signed a bunch of contracts with the Iranians.

Why the hell is it that the Isrealis get to have nukes to protect themselves and yet the Iranians dont. I dont see Bush demanding inspections in the one country everyone agrees has nuclear arms and would use them in a heartbeat if they thought they were going to be pushed into the sea. Im not in favor of anyone having nukes.. i live in japan and have been to hiroshima and nagasaki... it should never happen again... but if you are going to have a policy be fair...
ohhh god what am i talking about...

Anyway before PO really starts giving its biggest effects I am expecting WWIII
I think it is going to be inevitable...
It feels like the summer of 1937