Jon Stewart: The last eight presidents have promised an energy-independent future

[bananas]

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-june-16-2010/an-energy-independent-future
(video)
Wednesday June 16, 2010
An Energy-Independent Future
The last eight presidents have gone on television and promised to move America towards an energy-independent future.

[tridim]

1. My money is on Obama finally getting it done

He has a habit of winning.

[zipplewrath]

2. But winning what?

Based upon his track record, we'll all be required to buy cars that get 35 mpg and the auto companies will get funding to develop them.

[Warpy]

5. My guess is that it will be a carrot/stick proposition

to get people in urban areas to go electric. The carrot will be a rebate on purchase. The stick will likely be much higher gasoline taxes as time goes on plus possible urban pollution taxes collected through parking permits.

Unfortunately, that isn't an option out here in flyover country. Our distances are huge and EVs just won't cut it. My best guess there is that there will be a gradual changeover to biodiesel as gasoline becomes prohibitively expensive.

Mass transit around here is a natural gas powered bus system, the old diesels having been phased out over the past 20 years. I don't see a viable natural gas distribution system for passenger vehicles any time soon, though. Our new commuter rail is powered by biodiesel.

The problem is that Republicans think we can drill our way to independence, while Democrats favor getting off the oil tit, completely. The disaster in the Gulf might be a blessing in disguise, since it's brought home exactly what all that drilling has been risking and is now costing us.

Maybe Obama can get it done now. With the Republican plans all being shown to be catastrophes in the making, he's got a golden opportunity.

Well, unless Congress changes hands this year.

[zipplewrath]

6. I don't have much "hope"

Stewarts schtick showed that there aren't really any knew ideas being floated out of the White House....yet.

They have an opportunity here we haven't had since the '70s. They didn't appear to be ready to leverage it.

More rapid increase in CAFE standards. Economic disincentives to the production of carbon and use of fossil fuels. These are the kinds of efforts that have been proposed, and ignored, for decades. They are politically much "harder" than the reality. Obama prefers the "no drama" approach. I don't see him taking the bold steps necessary. He didn't on health care, he hasn't on Gitmo, he didn't with the banks. Not sure why I should hope that he will change with the oil companies. But as much of a cynic as I am, I always end up thinking "this time".

[bergie321]

7. Depends

On your definition of "winning".

I predict a bill that will protect oil and coal and give token amounts of money for "researching" alternative fuels. No cap & trade or carbon tax. No smart grid. No real change.

[joshcryer]

11. *If* the final bill has stringent energy efficiency standards, I'll take it.

And I say this being an ardent anti-fossil fuel person. However, if it's not in there, and there's a Kerry-Lieberman style cap-trade-offset approach, we're fucking doomed.

[Nihil]

13. *If* the final bill has stringent energy efficiency standards, I'll be amazed.

> However, if it's not in there, and there's a Kerry-Lieberman style
> cap-trade-offset approach, we're fucking doomed.

There is a first time for everything so maybe this will be that time.

I'm sure that the pre-flight checks on the pigs will not take too long.

[joshcryer]

10. He'll pave the way, but it's unclear whether or not it will be soon enough.

Being energy independent while seas are rising is a bittersweet result, but I expect better.

[maxsolomon]

3. the best way there is to STOP USING SO MUCH ENERGY

carter got un-elected for suggesting such heresy, and the pedal's been to the metal ever since.

unless obama has a plan for abolishing the senate yesterday, i don't see much changing until we're IN a crisis. and this isn't THE looming crisis - people aren't shooting each other over gasoline rations. the spaghetti-o's are still being churned out and trucked across the nation.

most likely, we'll just limp along greenwashing and astroturfing everything. then when the crisis hits, we'll blame environmentalists and start another war. it's the american way.

[hedgehog]

4. It's funny, but it's also tragic. Eight different presidents from all

across the political spectrum have made the same promise. Clearly, it's something people at least think they want. So why has nothing happened in 40 years? I think Rachel Maddow made the same point a few nights back: if we can't change our energy policy now, representative democracy is dead.

[GliderGuider]

8. King Canute could not command the tide to go out either.

If something is both physically impossible and economically undesirable (at least to to the corporate overlords that own the presidency) what are the chances a mere human will be able to make it happen?

[joshcryer]

9. "Energy independence" is a philosophically bipartisen issue.

The thing is that some Presidents, like Regan, thought we could do it without developing renewable technology. We can't. It is impossible. Renewable energy is the only physical way to be energy independent, baring some crazy (and highly unlikely) advance in fusion (Polywell/Focus Fusion).

[Better Today]

12. I sent this link to everyone I know at about 2am the 17th when it was

available. Both Righties and Lefties alike seem to embrace this one.

[trof]

14. Rachel Maddow weighs in with an excellent point.

U.S. produced oil does not stay in the U.S.
ALL oil goes on the international market.
Energy independence isn't what our goal should be.
We must achieve independence from OIL, period.

Video:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/26315908/vp/37769071#37769319