[Byron100]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'W')ith their petroleum-based foundation of power eroding, they're laying the foundations for a new socio-economic paradigm that will resemble Feudalism. We're being conditioned us to accept 'the right of might' as the natural order.

[azreal60]

Politicians don't say they are against growth because instantainiously you would be unelectable if you did. Until the effects of peak oil are so obvious that even the most dense can't deny it, unless the person is totally fearless, no politician will say they are against "growth". Growth in our culture equals good, a spreading of goodness as it where. You have to alter the language. And i'm not a PC type of person, but if a person equates growth with something good, why would they elect someone to office who is anti growth?

Now, how likely is this all. I could see someone like Russ Feingold doing it. The only US sentator to vote against the patriot act, he really does do what he thinks is right. I'm going to be sending him some info on peak oil shortly. Ten to one, he will bring it up. He's that kind of guy. Keep in mind, the first politician to bring up peak oil is pretty much commiting political suicide. As Bartlett was nice enough to do so first, i'm definately looking at other maveric politicians to get involved as well.

We however have to change the tone of the debate. The more people we get looking at unchecked resource depletion as the cause of these things, the more we can get people behind it. What's more, people WILL vote on these things. Think, if you convinced a good portion of the people in a critical voting district that this was an absolutely critical topic, and they polled as such. Almost overnight, political dialogue would change. Trust me, no one changes faster than a politician who thinks he or she is going against the winds of change. Which,in a representitive democracy, after all, is their jobs, so i won't complain.

So really what we need are organizations that are designed to do one thing, get people to the polls. This seriously is the best thing we could do on a non personal level besides running for office ourselves. I would say organizations like this can serve serveral puposes.

1. Social organization. Such an organization would just be fun i think. That is if you make it as such.

2. Political organization. The ability to talk politics is a fun thing as long as you don't get to militant about it.

3. Life boat organization. If the shit really does hit the fan, this kind of thing will be a great way to keep the local systems afloat. Having a plan in case of serious breakdowns would really help you, especially if you have thousands of people able to help.

But the ultimate test has to be, can you get people to go to the polls and make politicians talk about peak oil as a serious debate topic? One of the reasons the unions where so politically potent for so long is their members voted as they where told lockstep. So a union boss could go to a politician and say" do this, or my 20000 members will Not be voting for you" That is power any pol. respects, because even money can't buy you votes directly. That's power. And that's the kind of thing we would need to accumulate if you want to alter the questions being asked on the national stage, especially in the US. The rules are different in other countrys, but by and large democratic countrys will have similar rules.

The thing is, there is no Rule that says that government has to be run by large businesses. It is not intrinsic to the democractic process. There are ways we could in more and more cases exclude from the process large corperations donations. And there is Already a large movement across partys to do just that. I don't have a link right now, but look up the peoples legislature and Fightingbob.com. Trust me, next year, peakoil is going to be mentioned there. Next year is going to be a huge one, because half the US congress will be replaced. If you want to get things done, this might be our last chance to really do it, because the polliticians we put in will be in there a while.

[Ludi]

I'd like to think the citizens of the US would revolt against a return to a kind of feudalism, but unfortunately, they don't seem very willing to do that now as the current administration removes even more wealth from the middleclass and gives it to the richest percentage, while cutting benefits to the poor. This oligarchy seems very much intent on feudalism, but does anyone much mind?

[Byron100]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ludi', 'I')'d like to think the citizens of the US would revolt against a return to a kind of feudalism, but unfortunately, they don't seem very willing to do that now as the current administration removes even more wealth from the middleclass and gives it to the richest percentage, while cutting benefits to the poor. This oligarchy seems very much intent on feudalism, but does anyone much mind?