June 07, 2010 08:00 PM UTC

Carpe Diem, OR Party vs Candidates

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• by: JO

Thanks to Chuck Schumer, honcho of the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, we now have the stark contrast between the perceived interests of incumbents and the interests of the nation at large.

SchumerVision: On climate and energy, “start small, instead of bringing a comprehensive bill to the floor.” http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo…

Alternative: Seize upon the Gulf ecodisaster as a unique opportunity–possibly (and hopefully) not to come again–for Barack Obama and Democrats in general to launch an ambitious national program to cure our addiction to petroleum. A member of the Casper (WY) Petroleum Club was recently quoted as wondering out loud whether the Gulf disaster would be to petroleum power what Three Mile Island was to nuclear. It could be if Obama elects to make it so.

Since the OPEC embargo of the ’70s, the United States has engaged in ongoing denial: denial that burning oil is pushing the globe to profound climate change with unknown consequences, denial that petroleum supplies will eventually run out (“peak oil”) thereby ushering in unknown economic consequences, denial that the United States is increasingly dependent on imports to meet our thirst for oil, with unknown diplomatic consequences (although Saudi/Emirate financing of Al Qaeda is one that is known). During the same period, Denmark, to name one, has built enough windmills to supply about one-fourth of their energy needs, and in the process generated a new industry at home.

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the American people, with the leadership of FDR, were able to mobilize virtually overnight (and in the process give birth to what later became a military-industrial complex). But in response to the slightly more subtle challenge of petro-addiction, we have managed to do … nothing.

Obama has, unfortunately, begun to take on the air of a president buffeted by events not of his making. Pictures of Obama walking fouled beaches in Louisiana, far from portraying a “take charge” kinda guy, suggest a president who is essentially helpless. Oh, if only he’d let loose with a string of expletives to prove how really, really, angry he is! (And thereby achieve nothing…but….)  

OR, as a dynamic leader in the mold of FDR, he could issue a call to action NOW, and make it happen!

–An emergency construction project to throw up windmills as fast as we can put them together in a rapidly expanded set of factories. {Think naval shipbuilding in 1942.) The American Steppes are a source of clean, renewable energy waiting to be tapped. Where are the windmills?

–Divert funds used to further embed the automobile culture (i.e. road construction) to building networks of commuter rail systems. In Colorado, that means turning Slo-to-No-Traks to FasTracks now. Maybe it means putting heavy rail tracks in the left lanes of I-25 from Fort Collins to Colorado Springs. Etc.

–Help fund these projects by imposing A $1 or even $2 per gallon tax on gasoline, plus annual fees for vehicle registration based on fuel efficiency. Wanna drive your Hummer to work? No problem, as long as you pay $12,000 per year for your registration.

–Achieve an immediate 20% savings in gasoline consumption, at least for some workers, by instituting a four-day workweek (4 x 9.5 hours) for all federal employees and employees of all states that accept federal funding for anything. Build incentives for private companies to do the same, and enable telecommuting on a wide scale (at least 2 days a week). While we’re at it, encourage video conferencing in lieu of face-to-face meetings that require travel by car or plane. Start by implementing video conferencing for cabinet meetings.

–Call on Americans to make sacrifices–financial, personal convenience–to change their habits. [See: Greatest Generation, 1942-45.] Solicit new ideas that individual families can adopt for major gains in the short term.

–And lastly, ban all future off shore drilling–a strong symbol of how seriously Obama, Democrats–and the American people–take this commitment to end the addiction to oil.

OR, Obama could adopt Schumer’s attitude–take it slooooow, so slow that no one will even notice! A vote for the incumbent Democrats is a vote for …. no change, no hope of change, status quo forever.