A Critical Ear

This week we focus almost exclusively on US energy policy - the show’s now available on Radio4All, Audioport, and Indymedia Radio. Bob recently blogged about the topic on Huffington Post, where he framed his piece as a critique of Paris Hilton’s energy policy - or rather the idea propagated in her (rather funny) video, as well as in much of the media, that off-shore drilling could ‘fill the gap’ until structural changes (’re-tooling Detroit’) proposed by Obama come on stream. Critically, Bob cites US Energy Information Administration analysis, which CEPR summarizes thusly:

Senator McCain’s proposal would have no impact in the near-term since it will be close to a decade before the first oil can be extracted from the currently protected offshore areas. The EIA projects that production will reach 200,000 barrels a day (0.2 percent of projected world production) at peak production in close to twenty years. It describes this amount as too small to have any significant effect on oil prices.

Note that EIA are part of the administration, charged with producing non-partisan policy-neutral analysis.

So, we start by discussing the frame of current debate, work through the various aspects of US energy policy, and focus on areas that would produce meaningful benefits - having first clarified what we mean (and should mean) by ‘benefits.’ Improved diplomacy with Iran would result in significant increases in world production, in much shorter timescales. Obama’s (much ridiculed) call for small individual measures (better tire pressure in cars, etc.) would indeed produce as much gains as McCain’s proposals - now rather than in 10 years. Increased fuel efficiency standards, had the US continued to increase them at the same rate as the early 1980s, would have yielded 16 times what off-shore drilling would provide - and that would be a permanent gain, rather than a temporary, finite bump.

Before we close (with a 3 minute summary of world news to watch) we look at issues around transit, cycling, and similar alternatives.

All told, a fun show, and one I hope listeners find interesting.

The show is now on Radio4All and Audioport. This week we cover more geography than usual:

• We start, as usual, with the Panos Institute news bulletin.
• Ecuador is in the process of putting in place a ban on foreign military bases
• Chevron using the US Trade Representative to put pressure on Ecuador and resist an environmental lawsuit. The money quote? We Can’t Let Little Countries Screw Around With Big Companies
• Disputes in Bolivia about attempts to reform constitution. Rich, white provinces (illegally) undertake ‘autonomy’ referendums to protect their privilege.
• Venezuela’s Citgo to offer Venezuelan coffee at their service stations. Post-air update: this is currently a pilot program in Chicago, Boston, and Philadelphia, and Citgo will expand it if there is interest.
• AIPAC-backed Congressional resolution calling for blockade of Iran losing steam. Four original sponsors have now revoked their support.
• Ultimatum on ‘Freeze for Freeze’ proposal coming up this weekend.
• Possibilities of a US ‘interests section’ in Iran.
• Prof. Francis Boyle of Illinois says Iran should sue the USA in the International Court of Justice. We discuss the positive normative and diplomatic aspects of such a move. A video interview with Prof. Boyle is available on YouTube.
• US still negotiating ’security agreement’ with Iraq - have now missed their original deadline. We discuss the issue of ‘permanent’ and ‘enduring’ bases.
• Iraqi government supports Obama’s call for a timetable on withdrawal.
• Increased opposition to calls for more troops being sent to Afghanistan - even Thomas Friedman has criticized Obama’s calls for more troops.

While travelling the past few weeks I fell somewhat behind on uploads of the program to the Indymedia Radio site (though I was generally successful with getting them to Audioport on time). I’ve now uploaded the following to that site:

8 May, 15 May, 22 May, 29 May, 12 June.

Those are among the most significant developments we discuss in our latest show (for June 19, 2008). Also available on Audioport.

We’ve fallen a little behind in posting shows to the site (I’ve concentrated on getting them onto Audioport during some recent travels). I plan to clear the backlog and get them up soon, probably as a combined post.

You can listen to our latest show online here or here. Yesterday’s show included discussion of Carter’s visit to Palestine as well as an interview with Allison Hantschel about Douglas Feith (the focus of her book, Special Plans). Note that we’re now sharing our content on Audioport, radio.indymedia.org and from the WRFU site. If you’re interested in re-broadcasting the show you can grab it from any of these sources - though do let me know, so I know who’s depending on downloads from which sources, by what deadlines. At present I’m getting Audioport up by Thursday night, and try to get it onto either radio.indymedia.org or WRFU by Thursday too, with links added here, and the third audio source, by some time Friday.

Yesterday’s edition of the show included an extended discussion of  the Petraeus testimony, an update on the Colombian trade agreement, a brief discussion of events in Ecuador, and of former President Carter’s visit to Palestine. Available for download from WRFU or on Pacifica’s Audioport. Starting, of course, with the Interworld Radio news bulletin.

And some advance notice: next week we’ll be interviewing author Allison Hantschel about her book “Special Plans” and neo-con Douglas Feith, whose memoir is due out shortly. Send us an email with any questions you want to ask her.