A Better Use For $1 Trillion

I have to admit, I'm a bit surprised that the Democrats haven't caved yet and given Bush everything that he wants plus some. I suppose there are a lot of people like me that are totally pissed about this Corporate Giveaway and also like me, they've flooded their Washington representatives with pleas not to support this Big Shitpile Auction. As I've said over and over these past few days, this is just the worst possible thing that Washington could ever do. If they seem so hellbent on spending our money, why not spend it on something that will actually do some good while simultaneously preparing us for a future without oil.

If we were to take that $1 trillion or so and invest it in the following, it would not just help us transition from a petroleum based economy to a low energy economy, provide badly needed jobs, promote economic spending and possibly save some part of our way of life:

1. Fully develop a high speed, electrical passenger rail system that takes the place of current short air trips, those less than 500 miles. In addition, we need to move most of our shipping business away from trucks and onto rails. Moving cargo by rail is the cheapest method available and will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

2. Fully fund mass transit projects in cities across the country. This should include subway expansions, light rail, commuter rail, trolley lines, streetcars and buses.

3. Nuclear power build up. If we want to have any hope of keeping the lights on, nuclear power will have to be the fuel that transitions us from oil, coal and natural gas.

4. Massive expansion of wind, solar and tidal power sources.

Now clearly, fully funding this will take much more than $1 trillion, but this is an investment in our future, one that will give us a chance to possibly weather the coming storm from Peak Energy and especially Peak Oil.

Finally, if we really want to solve a lot of problems, we need to have a serious discussion about population control. The fact is, there are way too many of us, about 5 billion too many. We are killing every other species on this planet and if we don't stop breeding like rabbits, we're all going to go extinct. Stop having babies people.