Gusher of lies: The myth of energy independence

Robert Bryce discusses his new book, GUSHER OF LIES, and the myths of energy independence

Source: Robert Bryce, YouTube

Everybody is talking about “energy independence.” But is it really achievable—or even desirable? In this controversial, meticulously researched book, Robert Bryce exposes the false promises and political posturing behind the rhetoric. Gusher of Lies explains why the idea of energy independence appeals to voters while also showing that renewable sources like wind and solar cannot meet America’s growing energy demand. Along the way, Bryce exposes the ethanol scam as one of the longest-running robberies ever perpetrated on American taxpayers. In a new foreword to this edition, he shows how energy independence rhetoric was used during the 2008 election, even as the heavily subsidized ethanol business fueled a growing global food crisis.

Americans love independence.

Whether it’s financial independence, political independence, the Declaration of Independence, or grilling hotdogs on Independence Day, America’s self-image is inextricably bound to the concepts of freedom and autonomy. The promises laid out by the Declaration — life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness — are the shared faith and birthright of all Americans.

Alas, the Founding Fathers didn’t write much about gasoline.

Nevertheless, over the past 30 years or so — and particularly over the past 3 or 4 years — American politicians have been talking as though Thomas Jefferson himself warned about the dangers of imported crude oil. Every U.S. president since Richard Nixon has extolled the need for energy independence. In 1974, Nixon promised it could be achieved within 6 years. In 1975, Gerald Ford promised it in 10. In 1977, Jimmy Carter warned Americans that the world’s supply of oil would begin running out within a decade or so and that the energy crisis that was then facing America was “the moral equivalent of war.”

Source: Gusher of Lies, New York Times | Book