Is "independence from oil" a political or economic cause?

[WaltM]

Seems like it's not a environmental cause to say least.

Why do politicians want us to be free from oil addiction, but not on immigration labor, outsourcing, deficit creation?

Is it simply because it's politically correct to say we don't want Arabs to control our economy, but other economic problems such as freedom from debts (to bankers & Chinese), freedom from immigration influx (mainly from Mexicans), autonomy against outsourcing/job loss (India & China), bring our troops home from non-hostile countries (such as Germany and SK) will step on the wrong toes of their friends and hurt the feelings of certain minorities?

[FrankRep]

Everything is political.

[WaltM]

Everything is political.

even religion?

[FrankRep]

even religion?
Politicians exploit religion for political reasons all the time. It's not the religion's fault; it's the politician.


Newt Gingrich is an example:


Newt Gingrich is waiting for the voices of God and the American people before he decides to run for President. by Jack Kenny

Will God Endorse Newt Gingrich? (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=254258)

[WaltM]

Politicians exploit religion for political reasons all the time. It's not the religion's fault; it's the politician.


Newt Gingrich is an example:



Will God Endorse Newt Gingrich? (http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?t=254258)

isn't vice versa just as possible (and just as bad)?

That religious people exploit political powers and the system's loopholes for their selfish reasons (whether it's to impose their beliefs or for their financial gain).

At that point, would you say "its the immoral person, not the fault of the political system"?

[FrankRep]

isn't vice versa just as possible (and just as bad)?

That religious people exploit political powers and the system's loopholes for their selfish reasons (whether it's to impose their beliefs or for their financial gain).

At that point, would you say "its the immoral person, not the fault of the political system"?


Ron Paul is a Christian, by the way.


The War on Religion (http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul148.html)

Rep. Ron Paul, MD
December 30, 2003



The Founding Fathers envisioned a robustly Christian yet religiously tolerant America, with churches serving as vital institutions that would eclipse the state in importance. Throughout our nation’s history, churches have done what no government can ever do, namely teach morality and civility. Moral and civil individuals are largely governed by their own sense of right and wrong, and hence have little need for external government. This is the real reason the collectivist Left hates religion: Churches as institutions compete with the state for the people’s allegiance, and many devout people put their faith in God before their faith in the state. Knowing this, the secularists wage an ongoing war against religion, chipping away bit by bit at our nation’s Christian heritage. Christmas itself may soon be a casualty of that war.


SOURCE:
http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul148.html

[WaltM]

Ron Paul is a Christian, by the way.


How did this come?





The War on Religion (http://www.lewrockwell.com/paul/paul148.html)

Rep. Ron Paul, MD
December 30, 2003


[INDENT]The Founding Fathers envisioned a robustly Christian yet religiously tolerant America, with churches serving as vital institutions that would eclipse the state in importance.



"Yet"? As in "it's not obvious that they're not exactly consistent?

I don't mean to be critical of Paul, but this sentence does sound very "political" (as in vague), what does "robustly Christian" mean? or "religiously tolerant"?

Is he saying churches should be equally important to Americans as the State?

[ibaghdadi]

Seems like it's not a environmental cause to say least. Why do politicians want us to be free from oil addiction, but not on immigration labor, outsourcing, deficit creation?

Of course it's political. To say as it is: it's BS fed to the clueless masses to make them feel better, in the meanwhile propelling someone to power.

But the important part of that sentence is: it's BS.

In a free economy, no one is independent. Everyone is interdependent. This is because a free economy is built upon specialization, and eventually each entity ends up producing that which it produces best and most efficiently.

The problem isn't that America is consuming so much foreign oil. The problem is that America isn't producing anything of value to the world for all the oil it consumes.

Think about it. Japan is far more dependent on foreign oil than America ever was (or is), and yet it doesn't complain because it uses that oil to make things to sell to other nations.

Also, if America was to stop importing oil tomorrow, it will deplete its own reserves so much faster, and completely run out of oil so much faster, henceforth having to import all of its oil. It's unavoidable.

[YumYum]

Why do politicians want us to be free from oil addiction,....

They don't want us to be free of foreign oil. That is all a smokescreen. OPEC sells their oil for dollars. That is what gives our dollar strength.

[FrankRep]

They don't want us to be free of foreign oil. That is all a smokescreen. OPEC sells their oil for dollars. That is what gives our dollar strength.

You nailed it. That's my stance.

[Bossobass]

If government gave a shit about oil dependence there would be 70-100 mpg vehicles readily available with associated tax breaks to consumers.

I drive a VW TDI which averages 56 mpg and can be easily run on bio-diesel made from waste vegetable oil.

I contacted VW with questions:

Q: Why do all of the "Highest Mileage Cars In America" lists exclude mention of the VW Clean Diesel TDI, which has higher mileage than all of the cars mentioned?

A: America does not include diesel vehicles on their lists.

Q: There is a 3 cylinder version of my TDI in Europe that gets 83 mpg. Will you sell me one?

A: No, we are not allowed to sell them in the US. However, we are currently test-marketing a version in America for possible sale in the US.

Q: I'll take one. I don't need to be tested, I don't care what color it is or what price it is.

A: Sorry, but we will gladly keep you informed as to the progress of the testing and the results.

That was 4 years ago. It was pure BS. No tests, no follow up, no high mileage clean diesel for the US.

America is nothing more than 5% of the worlds population that has been kept completely isolated and has been completely brainwashed from birth to live-to-buy the shortest-lived, most energy wasteful pieces of shit ever devised by mankind.

Americans are the only people on earth who will kill for the following:

Free Enterprise = Government-Owned Monopolies.

Capitalism = Government-Sponsored Enterprises.

Free Market = The Fed + Goldman Sachs + Immunity From Prosecution.

Constitutional Republic = A Democracy where the majority is always a corporation.

Gasoline: "I don't give a fuck what it costs, as long as it's there when my tank is empty."

News: "I wanna see if Lindsey Lohan collapses when she's carted off to prison."

The list is so long, I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

Bosso

[YumYum]

^^^^^Great post!!!

[WaltM]

They don't want us to be free of foreign oil. That is all a smokescreen. OPEC sells their oil for dollars. That is what gives our dollar strength.

you mean our politicians actually want our dollar to be strong?
(i'm not sarcastic, I'm surprised to know somebody here doesn't believe all politicians want Americans to suffer from currency devaluation)

[Zippyjuan]

Every president at least since Carter (and maybe back to Nixon) has made a speach where they said that they wanted to get the US off dependence on foreign oil. If they were really serious and not just political, we should be lots closer than we are now. We just use too much compared to how much we have. The biggest user of oil is the automobile. We would have to make serious changes in both our car mileage and driving habits to do much on that. We did make some progress under Carter and the oil embargo back in the 1970's. People finally started buying higher mileage cars (noboby cared about mileage since gas was so cheap until then). Gas (and oil) consumption dropped pretty significantly and in total numbers (not per capita but total oil consumption) did not reach the same levels of the 1970's until the last decade- despite more people, more cars, and a bigger economy. Alternatives to oil are still to relatively expensive for large numbers to change over.