JLF: Presidential Blabber, Petroleum Edition

I ignore the actual USA Today blog, where Thomas and Beckel have a conversation about how getting away from oil is actually becoming a bi-partisan topic, with the Senate and House even voting in unison for action.  What overshadows the blog, though, is this graphic they included:

In case you can't read the quotes, I've copied them below.  What you need to know, though, it that it makes me furious.  It makes the aliens furious.  It should make you furious.  I remember when Nixon spoke about our need to lay the foundation to meet America's energy needs from America's own resources.  That was 34 years ago.  34.  Years.  Ago.  Holy Moly.

Every president since then has echoed the idea.  So, what did this lead to?  What did this blabber lead to?  It lead to NO CHANGES and STATUS QUO... and it makes me hate all sides of the aisle.  I'm just sick of empty rhetoric.  They had the insight to know petroleum is a fiscal and environmental liability, and nothing has changed.  So, when you look at these candidates asking for your vote in 2008, you have to ask yourself, "Do they mean any of this?  Is this just Presidential Blabber?"

It still begs the question: why are we no closer to get off oil than we were 34 years ago?  [I don't mind sounding like Ralph Nader now.]  Because corporations own the government, and it would have taken one of these guys acting against the best interest of the auto industry and the oil industry.  None of them had the balls.

Elect me.  I'm all balls.

Want to know more about how U.S. industries manage policy for their own industry?  Read my in-depth series on the Agribusiness Industry.

• JLF: The American Agribusiness Industry
• JLF: The Corn Industry's Killing You - PART I, Corn Syrup et al.
• JLF: The Corn Industry's Killing You - PART II, Ethanol

I hope enjoyed that trilogy, 'cause there's another coming now about climate change.  (It's why I've been so quite lately...)

What about you guys?  What's your take on this Presidential Blabber?  Just how long should we expect it to take our country to take action?  Did it take us 34 years to respond to Pearl Harbor?  Did it take us 34 years to get to the moon?  Did it take us 34 years to realize I'm the best blogger?  Ever?

Always your pleasure.

 - JLF


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The Quotes:

• Nixon: "We will lay the foundation for our future capacity to meet America's energy needs from America's own resources."
• Ford: "We cannot afford continued delays.  We cannot afford prolonged vulnerability to foreign producers.  We must act."
• Carter: "We are the generation that will win the war on energy problem and in that process rebuild the unity... of America."
• Reagan: "Energy independence is the best preparation America can make for the future."
• H.W. Bush: "Congress should... enact measures to increase domestic energy production and energy conservation-in order to reduce dependence on foreign oil."
• Clinton: "We have it in our power to act right here, right now.  I propose $6 billion in tax cuts and research and development to encourage innovation, renewable energy, fuel-efficient cars, energy-efficient homes."
• Bush: "We have got to do something about our dependence on oil - for two reasons.  (It) provides an economic and national security risk... and.. makes it harder to be wise stewards of the environment."