Fact Finder wrote:This elite prick thinks we need an ok from OTHER fucking countries before we eat or drive or run the heat or AC. Who the hell does he think he is?
Pitching his message to Oregon's environmentally-conscious voters, Obama called on the United States to "lead by example" on global warming, and develop new technologies at home which could be exported to developing countries.
"We can't drive our SUVs and eat as much as we want and keep our homes on 72 degrees at all times ... and then just expect that other countries are going to say OK," Obama said. "That's not leadership. That's not going to happen," he added.
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5h-w ... nYygW1W67w
Bite me Barry!
What he is referring to is that U.S. did not ratify the Kyoto Pact, yet many Americans are concerned that China and India did ratify it, but without any firm commitment to reduce emissions. It is true that China and India (each with over 1 billion people) represent the countries with the most rapid increases in emissions, but per capita both are still less than the U.S.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol
He's telling us in his opinion that Americans should take the lead in the world and be responsible citizens. He's also pandering to votes in Oregon, but that is what politicians do.
This is America...we can bank on continuing to have the right to waste energy as we see fit. However, doing so will continue to cost us more. We can't have it both ways: using comparatively high amounts of energy and expecting low energy prices at the same time.
The price of oil is high right now, but what is the real price at which a majority of Americans would make significant changes in their use? It has definitely started (we are feeling the pinch), but how far would it have to go up for us to sell our SUVs and raise the AC up to 78 from (gasp!) 72? Europeans and the Japanese have been paying much more for gasoline than we have for decades. The result? On average, they drive smaller vehicles and ride public transportation at a higher rate. How high would the price have to go for us to catch up to the other developed countries?
The situation is only going to get worse. In 40-50 years, the world's oil supply is expected to run out. I shutter to think what gasoline prices will be like in 25 years, if we don't start reducing our dependance on oil.
None of this is new, however. Remember the oil embargo in the 70s? Remember how hard it was for many Americans to sell their big gas-guzzlers in favor of smaller imports? By the mid 80s, a majority of Americans were buying smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles. We don't necessarily have to go from medium to small vehicles this time, if we embrace the idea of alternative energies, technologies which are already mature including solar and wind power.
If we could channel all of this fear, resentment, and paranoia into productive, enthusiastic discussions about change in energy use and development, then we could improve the environment and eventually grow the economy without a dependence on fossil fuels. Imagine the benefits that the latter would have on national security and foreign policy. Imagine an energy policy focused on multiple energy sources and the economic stability that would ensure.
