Imp Each

I do not read Kunstler regularly, perhaps because he rehashes a bit too much, but I never pass up James Wolcott, who we can always count on to synthesize the issues into entertaining rants. He does us a service by predigesting Richard Heinberg's modest proposal.

Wolcott

There are so many reasons that Bush's name should be dragged through the dust of his post-presidency for the harm and disgrace his administration has inflicted, and so impeachable offenses for which he would prosecuted today if we had a Congress worthy of the Founders. His malign indifference to Peak Oil and global warming may be the greatest of his crimes, because it will lead to the misery and deaths of untold millions of people, animals, and natural resources.

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Heinberg

Given all this, how will impeachment help? While it would be justified as a punishment for ineptitude or criminality, impeachment will not materially assist the nation to deal with Peak Oil unless current officials are replaced with ones who understand the problem and who are prepared to implement policies that radically shift America's priorities in terms of energy, transportation, urban infrastructure, and agriculture. Looking out over the current political landscape in Washington, it is difficult to identify who those new officials might be. Nevertheless, it would help the nation to start now with a clean slate, and with a popular mandate for the new team of leaders to move rapidly to achieve energy security.

Thanks to TOD for picking up on Wolcott. I remember reading the Richard Rainwater piece while on travel, but promptly lost track of it. Well worth taking a look.

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The two sporadically syndicated shows on Air America Radio, The Marc Maron Show and The Thom Hartmann Show have lately discussed a bunch of energy issues. I posted briefly on Jim Earl last Friday, but missed the big story reported more fully on Kos, Vegetables of Mass Destruction - Global Warming Edition.