Currently Reading: Gusher of Lies

February 2, 2009 · Filed Under Uncategorized

I’m currently reading Robert Bryce’s book Gusher of Lies: The Dangerous Delusions of ”Energy Independence”… I’ll have a review for you when I’m done.

A couple of quick thoughts…

Early in the book he claims to have no political axe to grind. While he does hold politicians of both parties accountable for their energy-independence rhetoric, there is a certain venom lavished on the “neocons”, and no matter how hard he tries to hide it – his slip is showing, and it’s distracting.
In the first chapter, Bryce sets the argument up in his favor, with a definition of “energy independence” strictly meaning a perfect 100% self-sufficient energy economy. With such a narrow definition (which rightly could be read into the sound-bite-sized political slogans from the past 30 years) Mr. Bryce sets the standard so high that any amount of energy dependence would prove his argument that independence is just not possible. His arguments (so far) are strong enough that he doesn’t need to frame the debate so rigidly from the start. I’m curious why he did.

I’ll have more in a few days.