Misplaced Rants

I've been posting rants elsewhere when I should probably be posting them here. So, I'm going to repost them here just so I can start getting in the habit. Besides, I wouldn't want to deny anyone the benefit of my rants.

On Dumbass American Energy Consumption
I find the whole gas thing pretty funny, even as serious as it is for the economy. We, as a nation, suffer from such a lack of restraint and foresight. We don’t demand, with our dollars or of our politicians, to do what really needs to be done. All along we could have been looking at alternative engine designs and fuels, having more flexible auto assembly, driving smaller, more economical vehicles instead of SUVs and enormous trucks, designing cities with commuting in mind, using creative work environments, etc. We’ve had time given that we went through a similar thing in the 70s. We prefer our convenience and our status symbols. We fuss over our politicians once every couple years, then forget about what they are doing until the next cycle. Shame on us.

We can make economics as complicated as we want but it still comes down to demand. As long as demand is high, the prices will go up. Unfortunately, or not, depending on your view of the world, we are no longer the (essentially) only ones demanding oil. We find ourselves in the position Europe used to be in, looking at the gas hog USA (still are, yes) and having no control over what those arrogant people were doing to drive up prices and create pollution. Now as our country gets older and is no longer the "only" thoughtless consumer, we can watch and fret as other nations like China industrialize and do as we do, compounding the problems of price and pollution.
We’re screwed America, learn to deal with it. The classes are about to separate even further. It’s our own fault and we have quite a climb to get out of this. I doubt our ability to sacrifice as required to do so.

On Dumbass Politicians
Let the battle of dumb begin. I get really frustrated that campaign topics are so much fluff over things that presidents don't really do. Taxes, health care, etc. These are emotional issues that campaigns are won and lost on but have no roots in the Office of the President. The tax war already has me up in arms.
Mr. Obama, the lowest income people already pay NO taxes. The rich have loopholes and taxing them more essentially does nothing. Guess where the burden falls yet again?
Mr. McCain, asking people to voluntarily put money away for retirement is asking for the government to continue to support those people because they, for the most part, aren't going to do it.
These aren't Presidential issues anyway. These are Congressional issues. I want to hear about foreign policy strategies and the things presidents really have control over.
GAH! Rant again. I love politics but really hate politicians and election times.

And so on a similar note, here is a website to keep an eye on.