[lateStarter]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Roy', 'I')t's all about profits my friend.

Current designs are already done. The plants are made to produce them.

Investment costs are low to keep producing suburbans, for example. No new factories, tooling, or investments are needed. Maximize profits at every turn regardless of the consequences seems to be the MO.

Designing a new car is a very costly procedure. Re-tooling a factory to produce the new design is likewise immensely expensive.

In order to justify building a new design, the designers have to convince the bean counters that they can sell enough of them to pay off the expenses related to designing, building, and marketing the new design.

Perhaps they're aware that car sales are at their peak. Or maybe it is just the short-term thinking that is so prevalent in this country. I vote for the latter.

[DantesPeak]

Whether you agree that pollution from MTBE is caused by the oil industry/gas stations - or by government mandated use - the fact that even local gas stations may now be subject to lawsuits does not seem to bode well for the future availability - and price - of gasoline.

From a New Hampshire news source, no link available:

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')he plan would have created a $11.4 billion fund to help communities pay to clean up MTBE, which is added to gasoline to make it burn cleaner. It also would have shielded MTBE makers from lawsuits, with one exception: New Hampshire. The industry faces lawsuits in several states, but New Hampshire is the only state to mount a unified lawsuit on behalf of all its communities.

Senators opposed the Bass plan for giving safe harbor to oil companies and MTBE manufacturers, and for giving preferential treatment to a single state. Environmental groups lambasted the fund, which would have collected $4.1 billion from gas station owners and MTBE makers and refiners, leaving the balance _ more than $7 billion _ to the government. The oil industry protested it was being asked to pay too much.

[deconstructionist]

The new energy bill--to the best of my knowledge--encourages opening more nuclear fission plants and increasing ethanol production but does not address other alternative energy sources. pushes for more drilling in alaska. does not address fuel economy standards for consumer vehicles. does not address lowering the amount of oil we import.

is that simplistic understanding at least factually correct? is there nothing in this new energy bill that is positive? is there nothing that even makes plain old common sense?

[Ludi]

I believe there is a small tax incentive for installing solar power in the home, and an unlimited tax incentive for installing commercial solar. So, again, big breaks for biz, small breaks for the common citizen...

[deconstructionist]

So if you spend like $30,000 converting your home to solar you can write a nominal percentage of that off on your income taxes? So... if you have a house... (middle class+) and if you have money to spend installing an expensive solar system... (upper middle class+) You might see $150 a year in actual tax savings...

[renewable_jack]

Please follow this link:

http://www.capwiz.com/congressorg/sbx/f ... 287271&r=1

[The_Virginian]

Tarry ye not, placeth a bandage on the breech, least the liquified cranial matter escapeth.

Pen letters to ye local congreffman, little good do ye reap. Forchance delay the path to olden times?

[grabby]

In an effort to keep you up to speed on the latest enactments, here is a list of recent legislations in 2007.
Never fear. Our alleged representatives will slowly phase in ethanol over the next 30 years. This is the answer to peak oil
If this is all they have, THIS IS NO ANSWER, They dont get it.

1 . Cellulosic Ethanol Development and Implementation Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)[H.R.395.IH]
Short: a BILLION DOLLARS in grants to any one qualified who can put up 20% of the grant (guaranteeing only the big guys can afford to get the grant.) When its gone, its gone.Hurry and get your money today.

2 . Renewable Fuels and Energy Independence Promotion Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)[H.R. 196.IH]
SEC. 2. CREDITS FOR ALCOHOL AND BIODIESEL USED AS A FUEL MADE PERMANENT.

3 . UNFORTUNATELY THE ETHANOL IS HERE AGAIN.
Biofuels Security Act of 2007 (Introduced in Senate) [S.23.IS]

This one is rich. We will now be secure:Thank you Mr Obama for saving us. In my opinion he has not a clue. This is what happens when teachers pad grades, children think they can save the world.
SEC. 101. RENEWABLE FUEL PROGRAM.
(ii) REQUIREMENTS- The requirements referred to in clause (i) are-- `(I) for calendar year 2010, at least 10,000,000,000 gallons of renewable fuel; [b]10 days of americas needs
(II) for calendar year 2020, at least 30,000,000,000 gallons of renewable fuel; and 30 days of amricas needs but we wont exist by then
(III) for calendar year 2030, at least 60,000,000,000 gallons of renewable fuel.'. 60 days of amricas needs but we wont exist by then and all Liberal and conservative calculations say our wells will be empty.SEC. 102. INSTALLATION OF E-85 FUEL PUMPS BY MAJOR OIL COMPANIES AT OWNED STATIONS AND BRANDED STATIONS.[/b]

ETHANOL IS NO ANSWER

4 . TEAM up for Energy Independence Act (Introduced in House)[H.R.182.IH]
TAX YOUR CAR STARTING NOW IF YOU DO NOT RUN ETHANOL!
Parts of the Bill.
(5) Alternative fueled cars can lessen the impact of climate change, and help provide for the stability and safety of the world.
(6) Biodiesel helps to provide hope that our country can achieve sustainable energy independence and combat the effects of global warming.
(7) Vehicles which utilize E-85 ethanol fuel could reduce our usage of petroleum fuels by up to 40 percent.
(8) Currently, there are just 6,000,000 E-85 capable vehicles on United States roads, compared to approximately 230,000,000 gasoline and diesel fueled vehicles.
(9) Just 993 fueling stations in the United States currently provide E-85 fuel, accounting for less than one percent of fueling stations. Only 635 retail pumps currently provide consumers with biodiesel fuel.
(10) Congress must do more to make alternative fueled vehicles practical and accessible to everyone.
`SEC. 4061. AUTOMOBILES THAT ARE NOT ALTERNATIVE FUELED AUTOMOBILES. TAX YOUR CAR IF YOU DONT RUN UNGREEN WASTEFUL BIOFUELS!
THE TAX IS 5 PERCENT THIS YEAR! 10 percent next year! You have to by ethanol cars to avoid the tax! SOME PEOPLE never could use a calculator. Darn thing with lotsa buttons...

5 . CLEAR Act (Introduced in House)[H.R.277.IH]
This one is 1st grade material way left way out there
(4) Alternative sources of energy such as ethanol , hydrogen, and electricity have been proven effective and efficient in powering passenger vehicles.

You see? The media says it enough times everyone believes it!
Even if it is shown that all these fuels are more expensive more ungreen more wasteful and less efficient.
(5) There have been several pieces of legislation introduced in the House of Representatives to address the growing problem of high gas prices and the need to utilize alternative sources of energy.
(6) Members of Congress should follow their own example of setting forth legislation that encourages the use of alternatively fueled vehicles.
[WHY? it takes even more oil to make alternates?]

(7) In 2005 the total cost of automobile leases for Members of Congress surpassed $1 million, and a collective switch to alternative fuel vehicles, hybrid vehicles, or vehicles powered by bio-fuels could potentially save American taxpayers thousands of dollars annually. But a switch to hybrid fuels will at least DOUBLE tax payers costs. or triple. Hydrogen IS NOT AN OPTION

(8) The General Services Administration has already purchased over 68,000 alternative fueled vehicles for the use of Federal customers, [wasteful boondoggles] more than any other organization in the United States. They chould have bought honda civics instead, much more economical.

BOTTOM LINE: IT WILL BE AGAINST THE LAW TO BUY ANY OTHER VEHICLE BUT AN ALTERNATE FUEL VEHICLE!!!!
That oughta increase your taxes several times.

6 . Independence from Oil with Agriculture Act of 2007 (Introduced in House)[H.R.517.IH][/url]
This one taxes all biofuels permanently make sure you can tax

sad. TO SPEND the money on useless activities.SHOULD AT LEAST DO A
55 MPH speed limit.
Fill tank according to odd even license plates every day.
Outlaw ethanol fuels. dEFINITELY OUTLAW HYDROGEN.
tax gas 5 cents more each month CONTINUOUSLY

[rdsaltpower]

And you guys thought the Democrats would save the world! Ha!

[emersonbiggins]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('rdsaltpower', ':')-D And you guys thought the Democrats would save the world! Ha!

[gego]

The noon news is on TV right now and they said something about all the successes of the new Congress, having passed new laws.

I didn't hear them say anything about repealing any laws.

This goes on year after year after year. Each new law takes some part of someone's life and manages it from Washington DC.

And the public never grasps that they are progressively less free to run their own lives.

At least the US government will likely be taken down in the collapse of our civilization; some small consolation.

[loveandrage]

Grabby,

Reality check man! You expect the moon over night?
Forgive the world for not being as enlightened as you!

Congress has a lot of problems and flaws, but think about what you are asking to take place. Two years ago, Peak Oil had not even penetrated Congress. Awareness has come a long way. Perhaps you should have testified in D.C. on the issues. What have you done to participate in the political process?

Why are you ripping Obama. Why not rip Europe for not getting the U.S. to sign the Kyoto Treaty? It'd be the same thing. Why not criticize those that do nothing rather than those trying to drag the rest forward. What would have happened if Obama suggested your fixes? Would they have listened more to your ideas? Would you have even got what Obama did? Wake up!

Criticism is good when constructive, realistic, and properly directed. I don't believe your critique was.

Why are you even paying attention to Congress if you think the grid will be completely offline in 14 years?

[ECM]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('loveandrage', 'G')rabby,

Reality check man! You expect the moon over night?
Forgive the world for not being as enlightened as you!

Congress has a lot of problems and flaws, but think about what you are asking to take place. Two years ago, Peak Oil had not even penetrated Congress. Awareness has come a long way. Perhaps you should have testified in D.C. on the issues. What have you done to participate in the political process?

Why are you ripping Obama. Why not rip Europe for not getting the U.S. to sign the Kyoto Treaty? It'd be the same thing. Why not criticize those that do nothing rather than those trying to drag the rest forward. What would have happened if Obama suggested your fixes? Would they have listened more to your ideas? Would you have even got what Obama did? Wake up!

Criticism is good when constructive, realistic, and properly directed. I don't believe your critique was.

Why are you even paying attention to Congress if you think the grid will be completely offline in 14 years?

[Ludi]

Kiss up to the Corn Lobby! Do I smell a presidential contender?

MMMMMMMMMM-MUH!

[azreal60]

What disturbs me about this post is the amount of time it took to research all that information, but the lack of realistic analysis that went along with it. You can't blame everything on one politician who as I seem to notice, only Just got elected to office. I mean, seriously, that's stretching expectations. If your child popped out of your wife, would you start yelling at them for not immediately helping with the family chores? I realize that's an almost spacious comparison, but only almost.

Although I agree ethanol is pandering to the corn lobby. So why don't you work on lobbying reform? Wanna change the system, there's your hobby horse. Cause ain't nothing else that's going to change it.

[TreebeardsUncle]

Hi.
A couple things. Obama represents Illinois, where 2 of the biggest topics of conversation are the evils of eminent domain and the ridiculously horrible low price of corn. This is one of the biggest fiefdoms for Cargil, Arthur Daniels Midlands, and Monsanto among other huge agri-business conglomerates. The Democrats just tried to push through a bill on ethics and lobbying reform that, among other things, would have required that the sources of funds that get bundled together be revealed but the Republicans shot it down. Nowhere in this current bill on pushing ethanol was EROI mentioned was it? Congressmen are not scientists and the electorate is not rational. Given a discourse among the pernicious fascistic corporate whores on one hand (Republicans) and the gutless pandering shills (the Democrats) on another before the beligerant zenophobic just-3-generations-removed-from-peasantry electorate, most of whom are unable and nearly none of whom are willing to recognize the existence of physical limitations on their profiteering and indulgences, what can you expect other than continued efforts to keep the cars running in the drive-through nation by drilling till kingdom come (the Republican way), brewing the magical elixer of biofuels (the Democratic way) or blaming the oil companies for screwing you (the electorate's way). There is 1 entry for the PO rant contest mentioned earlier. (Can edit away a few words to bring it down below 100.)

[loveandrage]

"Should we not expect a realistic assessment and plan from our MULTI-TRILLION $ government with multiple departments dedicated to energy? I think so. " - Grabby

The assumption here is that the gov't is working for and representative of the people (as opposed to big business). That is why i called "reality check". It's not where we are at presently. And Obama has already gone far in trying to improve ethics and lobby reform and fought for campaign finance reform which both would go a long way to making that multi-trillion dollar gov't work to benefit you and me.

Unless you've made personal efforts to fix the problem, i don't think you should be critical of someone elses efforts.

And if you did participate, say ran for office, which party would you affiliate with? Cause i hear so many people on here pre-judge anyone affiliated with politics ... Liberatarian is all for self, property rights, and business. He's a Democrat so he's for lawyers and big government. or She's a Republican so she ........

There's a lot of competition on Capitol Hill, and peak oil is a relatively new voice. Unless you plan to make some trips to D.C., I don't think you can EXPECT anything to happen.

Craig

[loveandrage]

One other thing ... I concede some of your argument, I have written before on the conflicts that will insue when food is used to propell cars instead of feed people. It's a joke and preposterous. But at least the gov't is starting to work on some ALTERNATIVES, all be it not the best ones YET. But my point is that it's a process. And your criticism and energy I think would be better used elsewhere. Your intentions are good though ....
You are right much of it is whack!

cdm

[TommyJefferson]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('grabby', 'N')ever fear. Our alleged representatives will slowly phase in ethanol over the next 30 years.

[gego]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('TommyJefferson', '
')
Let me guess. Our wise and omnipotent government has failed us again?

The obvious solution is more government. Surely more laws, more forced behavior and more control by the State will fix everything.