[Graeme]

U.S. Presidential candidates' staffs briefed on peak oil

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'J')ust to cover my bases, in case politics and laying groundwork can do wonders, I have just spent a week in Washington, D.C. talking with staffers of Senators Obama, McCain and Clinton. Their understanding of peak oil is rising at a critical time, perhaps in time for the election, but certainly afterwards for Presidential or Senatorial initiatives.

For peak oil literature, I gave copies of the San Francisco Bay Guardian recent feature on the city's Peak Oil Preparedness Task Force. I suggested that a national commission emulate San Francisco's.

I found that all three candidates' staffers were open to learning more about peak oil and what we might call "energy reality," after the openings made by Dr.s Bezdek and Hirsch. The Hubbert Tribute group and I have asked that Dr.s Bezdek's and Hirsch's slide show be on their website (link below), so many people can see this very informative presentation.

[alokin]

How can it happen that the candidates must learn about peak oil???
They should be a bit better informed than you and me.
And they're not the candidates for a banana republic - or are they?

[paimei01]

No they are not informed, they are "connected"

[miraculix]

in all thruthiness, it is more like they are embedded

[ohanian]

This is just as exciting as the time when Monica Lewinsky gave Bill Clinton an important debriefing session.

[dinopello]

I wasn't able to find the presentation referenced by following the MISI link. This is a good thing, not that exciting though I agree - because it's not unusual for low level staffers to get briefed on just about everything. Golem could probably get in there to brief them on Archetypes. This is probably one of those issues that will get filtered by higher level staffers who don't want the candidates message to get off track in the middle of a primary and then a general. If they were smart, they would assign a group to continue to develop the issue (if they aren't already) so that it can be used if the opportunity presents itself during the campaign (unlikely, IMO) or to feed into an energy policy working group once the election is won. They all will need some reason for the gas prices/shortages - might as well start the process of truthiness.

[NeoPeasant]

It's unlikely that Hillary is unfamiliar with an issue that Bill has spoken about in public several times now.

“A significant number of petroleum geologists have warned that the world could be nearing the peak in oil production." - Bill Clinton

[centralstump]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('NeoPeasant', 'I')t's unlikely that Hillary is unfamiliar with an issue that Bill has spoken about in public several times now.

“A significant number of petroleum geologists have warned that the world could be nearing the peak in oil production." - Bill Clinton

[Olaf]

I personally asked Hillary Clinton about Peak Oil at an appearance she made around here a couple of years ago.

Paraphrasing her response...Got any ideas. We'll take 'em.


Which left me with the following possibilities to reflect upon:

1) She was just humoring me, didn't care, and didn't know. If representative of our leaders, indicates we're fucked.

2) She was aware of the problem, but doesn't have any good ideas. If representative of our leaders, indicates we're fucked.

3) She was aware of the problem, but her financial and political interests and relationships keep her stagnant on the issue. If representative of our leaders, indicates we're fucked. This awareness could also lead to the types of programs and secrecy you are seeing Bush implement which make martial law, imprisonment, and spying easier.

4) She is aware of the problem, didn't want to make a big deal out of it publically, and is quietly helping to implement sound energy policy. May leave us the possibility of not being fucked.

By my calculations, that is a 75% fucked rate.

Olafr

[dinopello]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('centralstump', '
')Carter tried it . . . lost
Gore tried it . . . . lost


Forget the candiates. They have no power to raise awareness on this subject.

[jdmartin]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Olaf', 'B')y my calculations, that is a 75% fucked rate.

Olafr

[shortonoil]

dinopello said:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')his is probably one of those issues that will get filtered by higher level staffers who don't want the candidates message to get off track in the middle of a primary and then a general.

[joewp]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Olaf', '
')By my calculations, that is a 75% fucked rate.

Olafr

[Tyler_JC]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('shortonoil', '[')b]dinopello said:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')his is probably one of those issues that will get filtered by higher level staffers who don't want the candidates message to get off track in the middle of a primary and then a general.

[shortonoil]

Tyler_JC said:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')hat assumes that oil production and electricity production are somehow related...they aren't.

[katkinkate]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('shortonoil', '.').....If the candidates understand one thing about PO, it is that PO will be the end of the present political/economic system. I’m sure that if they do understand this, it is one thing that they aren’t going to mention to the voters.

[PeakOiler]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('shortonoil', '[')b]Tyler_JC said:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')hat assumes that oil production and electricity production are somehow related...they aren't.

[Tyler_JC]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('PeakOiler', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('shortonoil', '[')b]Tyler_JC said:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')hat assumes that oil production and electricity production are somehow related...they aren't.

[PeakOiler]

Every statement in the previous post does indicate oil has an intimate relationship with electricity.