[eastbay]

http://aolsvc.news.aol.com/news/article ... 0000000001

One would think that after hearing about Peak Oil, and knowing about Peak Oil that our nations leaders could come up with a better transportation plan than this rediculous waste of tax money. 284 to 400 billion dollars is to be spent over the next 5 years on highway construction using deficit funding (of course) to pay for it.

Doesn't the Senate realize road traffic will be decreasing in the coming years as a result of post-peak oil depletion? I wonder sometimes if they do indeed know what's coming and are engaged in a final spending frenzy. It simply doesn't make any sense to waste around 1/3 trillion dollars repairing an obsolete transportation infrastructure.

A more sensible first-step approach for the USA would be to increase the fuel tax at the pump incrementally until it is no longer economically possible to operate low mileage personal vehicles as Europe has successfully done. With the money that could be saved by stopping the senseless and wasteful Iraq war and initiating financial disincentives to personal vehicle use we could divert increasingly scarce resources into supporting mass transportation which will be required in the coming post-cheap-oil era.

But will the Senate do what is sensible?

EastBay

[BiGG]

Deficit spending? So I suppose the loan on your home and cars and ever other loan you and your family had is/was deficit spending also, no?

In case you haven’t noticed, this country has always been borrowing money just like you do and today’s world finds US no where near historic highs with borrowed money against the GDP and, that’s right, we right at time top of the food chain when comparing ourselves against anybody on the planet. Not bad for a small country likes ours! That scary sounding “deficit funding” put US there!

As far as maintaining our roads, WHAT AGAIN? Did you miss the part where we kinda need those roads for the world we live in today? You do know that everything you buy at you local stores was trucked in using those highways? You do know we have a gigantic economy going on right now that does not need to crash and maintaining our roads is a part of that, think here will ya?

It’s not like we don’t have plenty of oil remaining and alternatives in process as we speak. If you wanna ride a bus, call Greyhound but don’t mind the rest of US who enjoy our cars and plan on continuing to drive them now & in the future.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')ut will the Senate do what is sensible?

[arretium]

Dang BiGG, if deficit spending isn't bad, then why not just eliminate taxes all together? Why bother with SS reform? Let's just borrow like crazy. Heck it doesn't matter right?

AND BTW - Don't you think I didn't notice how quickly you got to intermiediate crude...you post whore!

[BiGG]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('arretium', 'D')ang BiGG, if deficit spending isn't bad, then why not just eliminate taxes all together? Why bother with SS reform? Let's just borrow like crazy. Heck it doesn't matter right?

[RonMN]

All squabbeling aside...the government spending continues to look (to me) like a person who is about to file for bankruptcy...they go out & max out every credit card first!

I keep thinking that the gov't is going to borrow everthing they can & build infrastructure, homes, water-works, etc (as well as lining their own pockets) and then print up the money & pay it all off.

If the US dollar is going to collapse anyway...why not get what ya can, when ya can?

[NeoPeasant]

When hundreds of billions of dollars are on the line, you can be sure that graft and corruption and special interest lobby groups and corporate sponsored policy advocating "Think Tanks" are working furiously behind the scenes to make sure the freeways get built and the money changes hands. Whether the public actually wants or needs these roads is a matter of little importance.

Look at the bright side. Our bankrupt immobilized former country will have a glorious system of bicycle trails the likes of which the world has never seen.

[Free]

Let's all start singing together: "Always look at the bright side of life, dada, dadadadaa, always look at the briiiight side of life....."

(sorry I couldn't resist, and all the latest developments are just too much for my nerves.)

[ubercynicmeister]

They are doing the same, here in Australia.

I am trying to get our State Govt to stop the nutty idea of ripping out our main railway into the centre of my local city...the railway is electrified, so it don't use too much oil (directly, anyway).

Instead, they wanna rip it out, sell the land to developers, who will build enormous Yuppie Apartments, (priced to match) while Us Stupid Travelling Public will have to make-do with BUSES.

Yup, diesel fuelled buses.

What's really gonna happen is the buses will go mostly empty, as people switch to cars, instead of having to trans-ship (as it were) from train to bus to complete the last 3 km of their journey.

So we'll be adding another 7,000 cars per DAY to the roads.

WOOOHOOO!

But, after all, the Oil companies aren't making enough money, now, are they (poor things)??

[BiGG]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Free', 'L')et's all start singing together: "Always look at the bright side of life, dada, dadadadaa, always look at the briiiight side of life....."

(sorry I couldn't resist, and all the latest developments are just too much for my nerves.)

[BiGG]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ubercynicmeister', '
')
So we'll be adding another 7,000 cars per DAY to the roads.

WOOOHOOO!

But, after all, the Oil companies aren't making enough money, now, are they (poor things)??

[mgibbons19]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ubercynicmeister', 'T')hey are doing the same, here in Australia.

I am trying to get our State Govt to stop the nutty idea of ripping out our main railway into the centre of my local city...the railway is electrified, so it don't use too much oil (directly, anyway).

Instead, they wanna rip it out, sell the land to developers, who will build enormous Yuppie Apartments, (priced to match) while Us Stupid Travelling Public will have to make-do with BUSES.

Yup, diesel fuelled buses.

What's really gonna happen is the buses will go mostly empty, as people switch to cars, instead of having to trans-ship (as it were) from train to bus to complete the last 3 km of their journey.

So we'll be adding another 7,000 cars per DAY to the roads.

WOOOHOOO!

But, after all, the Oil companies aren't making enough money, now, are they (poor things)??

[lee]

I say, the more stupid stuff we do, the better.

BiGG:
Top of the food chain? Who? Japan? China?

The US is more vulnerable right now than it has ever been.
The deficits, the demographics, the wars, the decimated
manufacturing base, the massive oil dependence, the health
care crisis, the housing bubble... How
many snakes are their in the grass?

I imagine there are some people at the CIA who are
quietly very concerned, much like some of the NASA
engineers while waiting for the Columbia to return
to earth.

[frankthetank]

Around here the interstate is in pretty rough shape. I've noticed some section that'll have you getting an alignment in no time! I regulary swerve during certain sections of my commute.

About government spending...At what point does the interest on the debt exceed money brought in?

[nero]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'A')bout government spending...At what point does the interest on the debt exceed money brought in?

[seldom_seen]

I think perpetual growth is not just an economic principal of our economy but a religion.

We must build new, bigger, better freeways with more lanes or we risk offending the sacred gods of perpetual growth. Without these offerings the gods will become angry and will punish us and stop providing the sacred ointment that fuels the machines.

The car is our temple and the mall is our chuch.

As oil becomes more scarce, we will become desperate to appease the gods by building greater monuments. Super mega malls, ocean sized parking lots and expansive bridges with many lanes. Only to cry out in shame "O ye vengeful gods why have thou forsaken me!"

[Ender]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ubercynicmeister', 'T')hey are doing the same, here in Australia.
I am trying to get our State Govt to stop the nutty idea of ripping out our main railway into the centre of my local city...the railway is electrified, so it don't use too much oil (directly, anyway).
Instead, they wanna rip it out, sell the land to developers, who will build enormous Yuppie Apartments, (priced to match) while Us Stupid Travelling Public will have to make-do with BUSES.

[Omnitir]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('ubercynicmeister', '
')I am trying to get our State Govt to stop the nutty idea of ripping out our main railway into the centre of my local city...the railway is electrified, so it don't use too much oil (directly, anyway).

Instead, they wanna rip it out, sell the land to developers, who will build enormous Yuppie Apartments, (priced to match) while Us Stupid Travelling Public will have to make-do with BUSES.

Yup, diesel fuelled buses.

[linlithgowoil]

they are obviously planning all these things because they dont believe peak oil, or they do believe it but that another fuel will take the place of oil. governments are advised by free market economists - does that answer your question?

politicians dont make any decisions. they are presented with a couple of options by civil servants (who are usually trained economists etc) and they chose the least expensive/offensive/controversial one usually.
they are therefore just a sort of rubber stamp.

anyway, ive said it before - what do you expect politicians to do? announce on tv that 'the end is nigh' and that they were starting projects to shut down the economy, rip up all the roads, kill of all the old folk?

[Omnitir]

I don’t expect politicians to do anything about PO until the public demand it. But what would make sense if for politicians to work towards public awareness of PO so that they can start conservation programs. Simply starting some awareness campaigns towards the coming energy crisis would make a big difference to public opinion.

Think about this: if everyone was even half as aware and concerned about PO as most of the members of these boards are, would governments still be trying to sell long-term expensive civil engineering expansion projects, or conservation programs?

I think the only reason governments are in “business as usual” mode is that the majority of the public don’t see any problems. People need a proverbial slap in the face and awoken to PO.

[merecat]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Omnitir', 'P')eople need a proverbial slap in the face and awoken to PO.