[asdar]

I was thinking about what steps I'd take if I had absolute power in the U.S. I'm a slight doomer, I think that we're in trouble, but I'm not sure that we can't get out yet.

My steps would be to make what I consider key industries able to function without oil, or at drastically reduced levels of oil use.

The first, and most important in my opinion, is the coal industry. We need to keep the grid pumping out power, and at least in the short term that means coal with all it's dirt. I would locate coal to liquid research right at the coal mines with the most estimated capacity. Then I would do a sweep of all of the equipment used and re-engineer it so that it could run on fuel created right there. This would include coal trucks that deliver to power plants.

The second would be farms. I'd put the ag department to good use for once and work on ethanol/biodiesel farm equipment so they can grow their own corn and use it as an emergency fuel for the farm equipment.

The third would be the railway system. I'd upgrade that to pre-1960s levels, with modern equipment.

My first steps would be to secure electric generation where possible, then food production. The next priority would be getting everything running on electric, with lubrication for machinery coming from artificial sources locally.

I don't think rationing is the way to go, because if we ration the fuel will just go to other countries. Not to be selfish, but we're going to need that fuel to transition. I would tax fuel more to pay for the conversion and take the economic hit.

What would you do, or do you think there's no hope?

[azreal60]

That's not a bad list of steps at all. Especially if your trying to keep the machinery working and just focusing on that. The question is, what are you going to do with the machinery once you have it mostly functional for quite a few more years?

I see alot of those steps being taken honestly. Not yet, but soon.

[steam_cannon]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('azreal60', 'T')hat's not a bad list of steps at all.

[Pops]

I’d guess my thoughts are more structural; actually they may be more along the lines of knocking out some of the existing structure:

Institute a gradual increase to maybe a $20/gal petroleum tax and the equivalent on all other energy sources.

Institute a flat federal income tax with NO subsidies/credits/allowances/distinction between income sources except for charitable giving and impose it on all imports/transactions as well, no matter the base of the importer. Eliminate all sales/state/local/special district taxes. Distribute a portion of federal income taxes to states and localities uniformly by population. Any tax money to only be spent in return for meaningful work.

Strictly, and I mean strictly, no, really; strictly regulate whatever financial institutions may be left.

Eliminate all overseas military bases. Institute a mandatory 2 year military or civilian service requirement at 18 years of age paying room and board. Arm and train every male age 18-35.

Make concealed carry mandatory for all able bodied adults. Eliminate all drug laws, make any drug involved crime and any existing fixed-sentence punishment over ten years a death penalty offence – lesser crimes are punishable by old fashioned hard labor.

Make voting mandatory. Make professional lobbying illegal and punishable by death, cap political contributions at $100, re-define political districts to existing municipal or county boundaries and allow no further changes.


Then go to my undisclosed location and watch things unfold on CNN - wait a minute, I would also make owning more than one media outlet illegal too.

It might not have helped but it would sure be interesting to watch…

[steam_cannon]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', 'I')’d guess my thoughts are more structural; actually they may be more along the lines of knocking out some of the existing structure

[BigTex]

How about increase federal funding for alternative energy to equal the Pentagon's budget, since future energy sources represent at least as much threat to national security as anything the Pentagon is protecting us from.

Also, don't permit any car to roll off an assembly line that doesn't get more than 40 miles per gallon.

Build more nuclear power plants. Start right now. That's what M.K. Hubbert assumed we would be doing.

Have the government buy up every commercial slot during the Super Bowl and provide 30 second segments on peak oil, alternative energy, and the need and rationale for greater efficiency and conservation.

Rearrange the tax system to make rail transport more economical than long haul trucking in virtually all cases.

Raise the gas tax, but earmark the revenue for alternative energy research only.

Fund full scholarship degree programs for professions in the alternative energy field.

Put an excise tax on new homes that are more than 2500 square feet.

Change building codes to require state of the art efficiency measures to be built into every new building and home.

Offer buyback programs for especially inefficient old cars and appliances.

I don't know what to do about the developing world. Almost all of my suggestions are going to increase the cost of transportation and housing. Something tells me these ideas are not going to take root in countries where the government and its people are already broke.

[MonteQuest]

All Solutions in Isolation.

There is no techno-fix.

We must powerdown by design or by default.

Rebuilding the railroads is a good idea under any scenario, though.

But CTL or biofool's?

Do some homework.

[TonyPrep]

Step 1. Educate the public on reality and on the meaning of sustainability (and the consequences of unsustainability).

[Curlew]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BigTex', 'H')ave the government buy up every commercial slot during the Super Bowl and provide 30 second segments on peak oil, alternative energy, and the need and rationale for greater efficiency and conservation.

[Roy]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'S')tep 1. Educate the public on reality and on the meaning of sustainability (and the consequences of unsustainability).

[TheTurtle]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', 'M')ake concealed carry mandatory for all able bodied adults.

[evilgenius]

I would enter into negotiations to make friends with Iran. That would strip the Russians of their proxy in the ME. I would begin to understand that the KSA will soon cease to dominate ME affairs like it used to. Getting control of ME oil will soon mean dealing with lots of players rather than dominating via one swing producer.

I would prepare the population for gas rationing. I would subsidize solar and wind applications to homes. Also I would make sure that if a huge demand for batteries for said systems comes up then the demand can be met. Introduce a subsidized home insulation program likewise.

I would keep all of the Trident missle boats in the water that the navy found possible on a round the calendar basis.

I would make sure that the Chinese were on the same page as me and that they saw my interests as their interests.

I would slap a tax on anything new that gets less than 30mpg of 50%. And a road tax of 10% extra of book value on all current vehicles gettng less than 30 mpg. The only exception would be ranchers. Yes, introduce a 60 mph speed limit.

Encourage strongly all coal power plants to have a 180 day extra supply on their premises. Establish a second SPR in another part of the country.

Withdraw all nuclear weapons from foreign military bases. Shut down a huge number of foreign bases as well.

Examine the water carrying strengths and weaknesses of various regions of the country that are likely to receive cold weather refugees.

Think about what it will take to exploit West Africa and share it with Europe.

Encourage the capacity for heavy oil upgrading pre-refinery as well as at the refinery.

Call in a task force to consider what to do with suburbia.

etc.

[BigTex]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MonteQuest', 'A')ll Solutions in Isolation.

There is no techno-fix.

We must powerdown by design or by default.

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BigTex', ' ')Isn't increased efficiency through technological improvements, as part of a larger conservation oriented strategy, a design-based powerdown--i.e., you are using less AND what you are using is being used more efficiently or in a more renewable manner?

[Pops]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TheTurtle', ' ')(unless, of course, this is part of a clever population reduction scheme ).

[BigTex]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('MonteQuest', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BigTex', ' ')Isn't increased efficiency through technological improvements, as part of a larger conservation oriented strategy, a design-based powerdown--i.e., you are using less AND what you are using is being used more efficiently or in a more renewable manner?

[Pops]

Look, Jevon is a good tool as far as it goes - reduced demand leads to reduced price leads to increased consumption of a constant or increasing supply.

Fine.

The problem with throwing Jevon out at every suggestion of conservation is this site is about diminishing supply.

At some point there will be no increase in consumption because there will be a constant reduction of supply and Jevon will be moot - or mute, as you like.

There are only two choices as I see it:

Voluntarily reduce your dependence on cheap energy now
Or
Involuntarily reduce your dependence on expensive energy later

Everything else (as in everything) is just talk...

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('BigTex', ' ')I understand Jevon's Paradox, but didn't the efficiency gains following the 1970s price shocks suggest it doesn't always work that way?

[MonteQuest]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Pops', 'T')he problem with throwing Jevon out at every suggestion of conservation is this site is about diminishing supply.

At some point there will be no increase in consumption because there will be a constant reduction of supply and Jevon will be moot - or mute, as you like.

[nas635]

Long time lurker - first post

CAVEAT: This is what I think the US could do, not what it will would do and not what I endorse.
WARNING: Severe doomer porn

Situation: US aware of the following:
1. Belief in the peak oil scenario for many years.
2. Global fiat monetary system on shaky ground, possibly ready for economic collapse
3. World population numbers much greater than can be reasonably supported

Goals:
After causing a fast crash scenario, US ends up still in control, technology intact, world population greatly reduced, sufficient oil/resources for reduced population to buy time for alternatives


Actions:
Multiple nuke and/or dirty bomb false flag incidents in US and Western countries
Blame pinned on Iran
Nuclear retaliation on Iran
Escalate war in Mideast
Destabilize Pakistan & India
Get China involved on the wrong side
World War 3/4 started
US missile sheild installed in Europe
To end war US nukes or causes others to nuke the following countries: China, India, Pakistan, and Indonesia -
countries with large dense populations and no or little resources

US and Russia cooperating in this scenario, last details agreed to in Kennebunkport.

REPEAT: I do not endorse this but I think it is a possible worst case scena

Hows that for a first post?