Government shutdown, 2012 elections

Dave Anderson of Newshoggers was our guest this week.

 

Topics included:

 

Will the shutdown happen? Hard right Republicans want to defund EPA and PLanned Parenthood, so this is hardly just about the budget. But Democrats as usual do little to fight back or to present a competing platform.

 

Obama could win by default in 2012 if Republicans nominate a loony. Pawlenty could be their compromise candidate, but he's colorless. Josh says Michele Bachmann is not nearly as crazy as she appears and in fact ripped a Democratic opponent to shreds during a debate.

 

With testimony in Congress about how peak oil is coming, moving to renewable energy becomes more important. Our era of cheap oil has passedand will never return. The EU already has a coherent plan for going to renewable energy on a mass scale, something the US lacks.