20070613

This transcript of Dr Brown of the Earth Policy Institute BIOFUELS BLUNDER is an early warning about a serious situation. The last part of this testimony by Lester Brown says:

"Ethanol euphoria is not an acceptable substitute for a carefully thought through policy. Do we really want to subsidize a rise in food prices? For Washington, it is time to decide whether to continue with the current policy of subsidizing more and more grain-based fuel distilleries or to encourage a shift to more fuel-efficient cars and a new automotive fuel economy centered on plug-in hybrid cars and wind energy. The choice is between a future of rising world food prices, spreading hunger, and growing political instability, or one of stable food prices, sharply reduced dependence on oil, and much lower carbon emissions.

As the leading grain producer, grain exporter, and ethanol producer, the United States is in the driver's seat. We need to make sure that in trying to solve one problem-our dependence on imported oil-we do not create a far more serious one: chaos in the world food economy."

The unfortunate truth is probably that Washington is doing what big agri-business in collusion with big petrochemical industry actually intend to do, that is to push up the prices of both food and energy commodities which they control. Also, a policy that also will bring instability is good for the profits of these big business and the military/industrial complex. These organizations thrive in chaos and in a dangerous world the power with the most weapons will rule by force. This future of conflict no longer need be based on a superpower fight to the finish (now with only one superpower) and so the scenario is no longer "post nuclear conflict" it is being mapped as a Eco Collapse and die-off with scarcity conflicts over water, food and energy.

What is an inconvenient truth for the "man on the street" is a fortunate turn of events for a conflict based future that assures maximum profits for the Corporate puppet masters who dictate Washington's policies. Lester has exposed their move but sees it as a blunder when, much more likely is part of an ongoing scenario for destabilization that supports higher prices.

We can protect ourselves by getting off the commodity feed-wagon and producing our own water, food and energy in the distributed security of our own homes and communities. Then the power to manipulate is not given over to big business and we have the potential to reclaim a peaceful future and to restore an exploited world.