ACCOUNTABILITY
The roots of all wars can be found within the insatiable greed of politicians, religious leaders and self serving businessmen. Throughout history kings, emperors, dictators and presidents have fought for the ownership and control of land, sky, air and water. Egyptian Pharos controlled the fertile delta area that joined the Mediterranean Sea to the Nile. They controlled the food supply in the surrounding desert and therefore controlled the inhabitants. Pharos recognized the value of sunlight at an early time in the history when oil had not become a prominent source of energy. Even the greedy Pharos, obsessed with a mission of immortality, had respect for the sun. They understood the futility of claiming ownership to a ball of fire in the sky and took solos in worshiping that which they could not control. The Egyptian sun god became Ra, the Greek sun god became Helios, the Roman sun god became Apollo and the Christian, Son of God, became Jesus. The names and games of the rulers, crusaders and servants have changed throughout history, but the structure of society remains the same. We are still creatures of habit controlled by fear. Today in this world of advanced technology and educational opportunity we still allow ourselves to be herded like cattle and taxed into poverty for causes we don’t believe in. The process of social evolution is slow, but as conscious beings we have the ability to take charge of our own destiny.
Socrates believed that politicians aspire towards the
noblest profession all because politicians are the guardians of all professions.
Governors are hired to secure long range goals like clean air and water and a
sustainable economy, but governors have no special god like quality. They are
chosen from the same pool of greed and corruption that we’re all born into.
Without accountability public officials murder in the name of national security
and take over natural resources for personal gain. Concern for the public welfare
has nothing to do with the politics of today. That kind of concern is no longer
rewarded by the political process. The best qualified candidates are rarely the ones who win an election. Elections are won with money and
power. The candidates with the most money and the most connections are the ones
who usually floats to the top of the heap.
A common man lives from day to day on a diet of hope and disappointment and fear. All people are motivated by greed. Capitalism and competition keep the wheels of civilization turning, but I believe a more equitable distribution of wealth could prevent poverty, war and ignorance and provide the groundwork of trust and respect needed for cooperative effort. As long as the supply of energy needed for livelihood is controlled by an elite class of wealthy businessmen our social evolution will be deadlocked. We have become addicted to energy concentrates the way children become addicted to candy and adults become addicted to junk food and drugs. Curbing our appetite for fossil fuel will be difficult, but it will be more difficult to go cold turkey.
The finite supply of fossil
fuel is running out as we sit by and do nothing. We'll need to take a stand
against corrupt government while we still have oil. As tax payers we should expect
more for our labor than a country 7 trillion dollars in debt with contaminated land fills, obsolete sewerage treatment plants,
radioactive dump sites, toxic water and air unfit to breath. Our natural resources are disappearing to make a few wealthy people
more wealthy. A growing number of disappointed have-nots have lost hope in the
American way of life. Terrorist are increasing in number because of
our Big Bully tactics. Who will we point our guns at next. As
conscious beings we can make laws that govern exploitation. Stealing oil
rights from from Iraq and Iran won't solve the energy crisis and eliminate
Terrorism. For every Terrorist we destroy with belligerent actions we create 100
more. The suffering of one person effects us all. Americans have become the
bullies of the world. Greed and careless use of the non renewable oil
reserves destroys more than fishing industries. It destroys
the entire delicate ecology of our tiny planet and diminishes the quality of life for
all it's inhabitants.
We need accountability in government. No person should be above the law. Presidents who murder for profit should be held accountable for their actions. President Bush should be brought up on charges of mass murder and profiteering. If guilty Bush and all the Senators, Congressmen and Governors who supported Bush should be punished in a manner befitting any crime associated with treason, embezzlement, bribery, murder and total disregard for the public welfare. We need a government that respects human life and understands the value of energy independence. We need a government that encourages human potential rather than squash it with corruption and tyranny. As American citizens we have a right and a duty to demand more from our leaders. Perhaps together we can promote accountability in government and create a gateway into a better way of living.
How much oil is left?
Estimates hover between 2 trillion and 6
trillion barrels and most geologists favor the lower estimate. If we could pump
all the oil that ever was and all the oil that ever will be into one giant cube
it would fill a space six miles high and six miles wide. The amount of energy
contained in that much oil is actually less than the energy available to our planet
from sunlight over the period of a day.
United States oil production peaked in 1970. Dr King Hubbert originally estimated that world oil production would peak in 1990. This estimate was later changed to 2000. The best estimates to date are set at 2006. At this time the rate of oil production will equal the rate of oil consumption. Middle East countries will control more than 50 % of the oil reserves and half of all the oil that ever was will be gone. After 2006 we can expect the price of oil to increase with no relief. By 2040 this short lived oil based economy will be long gone. Oil shortages of the 1970s will pale by comparison. With most of the major oil basins depleted and no new basins to suck dry our country will be at the mercy our friends in the Persian Gulf, Iraq, Iran and China. I wonder how they'll treat an oil poor country like ours on the verge of bankruptcy. The economy driven by an abundant supply of cheap oil will be over. We'll be faced with political, and social discontinuity of historic proportions, as the world adjusts to a new energy environment. Natural resources that might have carried our species into the next millennium will be gone because we and the people we elect are reluctant to demonstrate concern for the public welfare. By the time we elect environmentally responsible leaders our remaining fossil fuel resources will be nothing more than a useless reminder of a world that could have been.
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