The latest oil spill shows..

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Idon't think what is being said that the type of car you drive is a political stement though for some it probably is. But having the government decide what type of car we drive which is what would need to happen makes your car choice a political issue.

So we are clear on this, and don't get things twisted. I am not advocating that the government decide anything, I am mandating that the "American people" become more responsible and aware of the environment around them, and choose to drive more efficient cars, and be smart and embrace every means of efficient alternative fuels(and not necessarily corn) which in turn will save the environment, and cut us lose from having to make compromises to foreign states(Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Iraq, and Iran..and Venezuela for that matter). This is not political, it is personal. Taking personal responsibility for the plight of your own country does not have to be political.

Anything that people won't do willingly can only be enforced legally which means laws have to be passed which means it becomes by default a political issue. Fuel efficient cars have been widely available for over 25 years yet they do not dominate the car market so the market has "voted" what type of car people want to drive.

And now you have the biggest mess in energy history, wars that have been fought unnecessarily, massive transfers of wealth(and the complaints and economic harm it has brought) and a whole so addicted to a product, that it threatens its own national security.

Maybe it is time to take a pause and really rethink that vote.

[Feanor]

So we are clear on this, and don't get things twisted. I am not advocating that the government decide anything, I am mandating that the "American people" become more responsible and aware of the environment around them, and choose to drive more efficient cars, and be smart and embrace every means of efficient alternative fuels(and not necessarily corn) which in turn will save the environment, and cut us lose from having to make compromises to foreign states(Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Iraq, and Iran..and Venezuela for that matter). This is not political, it is personal. Taking personal responsibility for the plight of your own country does not have to be political.
....

Yes, it does. Obviously: because there will always be significant minority who place greed and self-interest above the common good. Remeber that we aren't just talking individual people; we are talking corporate interests, many of them global rather than national, that are driven exclusively by their next quarter earnings-per-share and nothing else. These interests must be compelled to do the right thing for the community by government.

What is wrong with government? First let's acknowledge in a democracy the goverment is the primary agent of the people. No private interest is so charged. If people don't like the government, they should vote for change rather than just condemn their government. The problem might that our political reps don't really represent us but instead corporate and funders.

To counter that, citizens need to critically indentify where their real interests lie and ignore to politicians clap-trap designed to appeal to their fears and prejudices. Is this asking too much? If you will, a major aspect of personal responsibility is electing political representives who represent the real, long term, interests of ourselves and communities.

[GMichael]

Yes, it does. Obviously: because there will always be significant minority who place greed and self-interest above the common good. Remeber that we aren't just talking individual people; we are talking corporate interests, many of them global rather than national, that are driven exclusively by their next quarter earnings-per-share and nothing else. These interests must be compelled to do the right thing for the community by government.

What is wrong with government? First let's acknowledge in a democracy the goverment is the primary agent of the people. No private interest is so charged. If people don't like the government, they should vote for change rather than just condemn their government. The problem might that our political reps don't really represent us but instead corporate and funders.

To counter that, citizens need to critically indentify where their real interests lie and ignore to politicians clap-trap designed to appeal to their fears and prejudices. Is this asking too much? If you will, a major aspect of personal responsibility is electing political representives who represent the real, long term, interests of ourselves and communities.

When will these political representives start running for office? I'll vote for them.

[Feanor]

When will these political representives start running for office? I'll vote for them.

Tough question. But I suggest start by selecting the "least bad" candidate and vote for him or her. Also I suggest participating in political activities supporting this candidate.

The "Tea Party" is a good thing from the perspective of participation -- trouble is their social & economic conservativatism is exactly what the US middle & working classes do not need to adapt to the changing world -- instead it plays into the agenda of the super rich and gobal corporations.

[Sir Terrence the Terrible]

Yes, it does. Obviously: because there will always be significant minority who place greed and self-interest above the common good. Remeber that we aren't just talking individual people; we are talking corporate interests, many of them global rather than national, that are driven exclusively by their next quarter earnings-per-share and nothing else. These interests must be compelled to do the right thing for the community by government.

What is wrong with government? First let's acknowledge in a democracy the goverment is the primary agent of the people. No private interest is so charged. If people don't like the government, they should vote for change rather than just condemn their government. The problem might that our political reps don't really represent us but instead corporate and funders.

To counter that, citizens need to critically indentify where their real interests lie and ignore to politicians clap-trap designed to appeal to their fears and prejudices. Is this asking too much? If you will, a major aspect of personal responsibility is electing political representives who represent the real, long term, interests of ourselves and communities.

Okay mister, you hijacked my comments in bold, and turned it into something that I didn't intend for it to be.

When I made that last comment, I was strictly talking about the cars we drive, and if we just changed from inefficient ones, to more efficient ones, that is not a political decision, it is a person responsibility decision designed to benefit the country in a NON political way.

In spite of the fact that advertisers have dangled fast big engine inefficient luxury cars before my face, I have not fallen for it. I have one luxury car now, and it is a hybrid. I have another sub compact car, and it is a hybrid. I plan on trading that sub compact car for another sub compact sports car, and it will be a hybrid as well. If the Volt turns out to be a good performer, I may even look into it as well, even if I do not have a taste(or stomach) for American cars.