\"It is directed at envirowackos and politicians (on both sides of the aisles) bought and paid for by them\"
It is true that environuts and their paid ho\'s in congress (primarily democrats but a fair number of RINOs as well) deserve a huge share of the blame for the mess we are in (blocking refineries and drilling)--BUT--why are the oil industry and its allies strangely silent on this issue; they are allowing the enviros sole use of the megaphone. After all, the oil companies are so flush with cash compared to sierra club etc. that it would be possible for the oil companies--via an agressive advertising and lobbying blitz--to sweep aside much of the enviro objection to oil exploration and refinery building--IF THE OIL INDUSTRY CHOSE TO DO SO. I suspect that that the American oil industry considers the enviros \"useful idiots\"--as it is the excuse that oil refineries cannot be built or offshore drilling take place because of environmental regs which is keeping the price of oil HIGH! If your enemy is helping you to make a big profit, why stand in his way. If you made your living selling diamonds--a scarce resource found mostly in Africa with huge markup, the last thing you would want is for some upstart to find a motherlode of diamonds in the USA. That would depress the price of diamonds big time. If some anti-diamond group was preventing that upstart from mining for domestic diamonds, you\'d be all for that anti-mining group. Oil is no different. Think about it; the advertising and lobbying muscle of the oil industry (as muscular as Charles Atlas) vs the advertising and lobbying muscle of the envirowhackos (as scrawny as Woody Allen). Combine that with the best Congress money can buy. Yet the oil industry is not taking advantage of this muscle. Strange, huh?
Strange , Not really. I wouldn't underestimate the power of the greens to get their 'message' out.
Also, most lobbyists are not where they are because they are smart, imo. They are there because they are opportunists and out to make a buck, and bottom line, could usually care less about the outcome of their efforts for one side or the other..
Enviros, on the other hand , are the most gullible of the lot. They are led by the hype of the limousine liberals and anti-growth advocates, all believing that their motives are pure and thus unquestionable.
You do raise a good point worth considering, that Big Oil, may be better served by keeping things as they are refinery and production-wise, but long term, even oil producers see the folly in that with aging plants and fields.
Growth for them means more than stagnating in place, no matter where the price or profit levels are at present, imo.
Renewable energy is the rage or so it seems these days, be it primarily solar or wind, or incorporates hydrogen or fuel cell technology. They seem to be getting the bulk of the popular support, while the quietest most efficient form of energy sits churning away in nuclear reactors yet sadly is the ugly duckling on the energy scene. But that's a whole other can of worms, even tho it has proven itself to be a reliable producer of much needed energy for years.
All in all, it's a mess, a mess a lot of folks make money and political livings off of and some do quite well at..