April 27, 2006
John B. Judis : MOTO of the week!
After ready his article in TNR, Determining Factor, John B. Judis must have patted himself on the back for 'getting it'. What is impressive is not that he finally did but that it took him so long.
Oil is a scarce resource that is vital to the American economy. Domestic production peaked in the early 1970s. The United States currently imports about 60 percent of its oil. World supplies are expected to peak in a decade or so. Yet American oil consumption is rising steadily--it went up by 3.9 million barrels a day between 1995 and 2004--and is almost matched by the rise in consumption from China--2.8 million barrels a day during the same period. With demand continuing to rise, and supply failing to keep pace, prices can be expected to rise, and at a certain point to skyrocket. That could spell doom for the American economy.
Blown away by the laser-like focus? No? OK, try THIS out...
A whole range of enterprises--from agriculture to transportation--depend on oil. ... America's tensions with Iran are also basically about oil. ... Why did the United States invade Iraq? Well, there were lots of reasons, but one reason was to create a petroleum counterweight to OPEC. ... The Bush administration's program for conservation is nugatory.
Impressive, no? Not the ideas and writing... the use of the word 'nugatory'.
This passes for brilliance in a senior editor at The New Republic and a visiting scholar at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace? Maybe I should send a resume with my theory on Why the GOP Is All Up Jerry Falwell's Ass.
Posted by mcblogger at April 27, 2006 12:58 AM
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