Solution to looming US oil shortage

zipo · #1 08-22-2005, 04:11 PM

Currently, massive oil reserves in the form of hard-to-extract oil sands and shale exist in Canada, and at current oil prices the cost effectiveness of recovering these resources is becoming more and more attractive.

If the US were to annex Canada, we would be able to effectively meet our future energy needs, disengage from 'trouble spots' around the world, and eliminate our dependence on foreign sources of energy. Many Canadians would jump at the chance to receive the benefits of American citizenship, and in any case the Canadians have no real military capacity to speak of.

I'm not saying we should necessarily do this - but let's put it on the table and have the debate.

Il_Mostro · #2 08-22-2005, 04:17 PM

you need to read up on shale and tar sands. It's not just about economics. One of the many fatal flaws in your plan is that production of shale/tar sands are unlikely to scale up enough. I belive the goal is somewhere around 5 mbpd in 2020 or some such.

jokerthief · #3 08-22-2005, 06:25 PM

Why would we have to annex Canada when we can trade all we want with them?

CORed · #4 08-22-2005, 07:24 PM

Because we have to bring the benefits of our system of government to Canada. Canada's evil parliamentary system, which eliminates the essential separation of powers between the executive and legislative branch, is a threat to all of civilization. We must invade, and convert them to the correct form of government, with an independant executive and bicameral legislature before they destroy civilization. This makes almost as much sense as Bush's justification for the war in Iraq.

BTW, there is lots of oil shale in the U.S. (mostly in Utah and Western Colorado). It's the fuel of the future. Always has been. Always will be.

tylerdurden · #5 08-22-2005, 07:31 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Because we have to bring the benefits of our system of government to Canada. Canada's evil parliamentary system, which eliminates the essential separation of powers between the executive and legislative branch, is a threat to all of civilization. We must invade, and convert them to the correct form of government, with an independant executive and bicameral legislature before they destroy civilization. This makes almost as much sense as Bush's justification for the war in Iraq.

[/ QUOTE ]

POTD.

jokerthief · #6 08-22-2005, 08:01 PM

Is your avatar Murry Rothbard?

tylerdurden · #7 08-22-2005, 10:06 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Is your avatar Murry Rothbard?

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes.

zipo · #8 08-23-2005, 02:25 AM

>>We must invade, and convert them to the correct form of government<<

Well, let's not be too extreme here. Invasion obviously would only be used as a last resort. Surely there are many enlightened Canadians who would only be too happy to be formally annexed by the US, which could be accomplished through a simple popular referendum.

Actually, we really don't need all of Canada anyway. Quebec would probably not be acceptable for assimilation - we wouldn't really need Ontario or the Maritime provinces either.

These are mere details of course.

Il_Mostro · #9 08-23-2005, 03:51 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[Shale is] the fuel of the future. Always has been. Always will be.

[/ QUOTE ]
No, no, no, now you are taking about fusion [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

CORed · #10 08-23-2005, 03:31 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[Shale is] the fuel of the future. Always has been. Always will be.

[/ QUOTE ]
No, no, no, now you are taking about fusion [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[/ QUOTE ]

I think fusion has a better chance than oil shale. We already have working fusion reactors (stars). The trouble is, nobody's found a good way to scale them down yet.