Preparing Us For Personal Sacrifices...

It looks like Bush is preparing us for some hard times to come in his upcoming State of the Union Address.

He's calling for us to reduce gasoline consumption by 20% over ten years, while increasing ethanol consumption.

He's also calling for Congress to make budget cuts in domestic programs, in a time when he continues to ask for increasing sums of money to pay for his wars of conquest.

Finally, he wants our oil reserves to be increased in volume.

For the first one, I wonder if he's preparing us for cuts that will be the direct result of foriegn wars that he intends to start. Is he getting us used to the idea of oil disruptions due to a war with Iran? He's running out of time to start such a war. He needs to hurry if he wants it.

Ethanol is in my opinion just a subsidy generator. To my satisfaction, no study has ever demonstrated that ethanol does not take more energy to produce, than it provides.

Or is he getting us ready for Peak Oil? Knowing him as we do now, its not in character for him to do anything that doesn't harm the US. I doubt that Peak Oil is driving this except as a peripheral reason.

Budget cuts in domestic programs? Maybe levee building? The US is becoming a nation who's worth is only measured by our military. We're becoming a mercenary force, at the beck and call of international corporations. Are we ready to live the lifestyle of ancient Sparta and become simply a tool for war? Are we ready to give up our MTV?

More reserves? If Bush is taking us down the road to increasing sacrifce, then this isn't likely for domestic use. After all its a 'Strategic Reserve'. I expect a good portion of it will be needed by the US Military for domestic operations as people begin to resist the call to sacrifice for the Bush Family.