[A sign of things to come?] Photo courtesy of Daniel Lobo - Daquellamanera.org.~~~We hear a lot these days about the steady rise in oil production here in the United States. Talk of "energy independence" tends to follow close behind.It's a wonderful story. It would be an even better one if the facts and realities of oil production didn't intrude. We're not running out of oil, to be sure. But we have some energy-supply challenges ahead of us. Unde ...

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[A sign of things to come?]
Photo courtesy of Daniel Lobo - Daquellamanera.org.

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We hear a lot these days about the steady rise in oil production here in the United States. Talk of "energy independence" tends to follow close behind.

It's a wonderful story. It would be an even better one if the facts and realities of oil production didn't intrude. We're not running out of oil, to be sure. But we have some energy-supply challenges ahead of us.

Understanding the reasons why is an important step in preparing for a future not quite as energy abundant as some lead us to believe.

Authors Website: http://richardturcotte.com/

Authors Bio:

Looking Left and Right: Inspiring Different Ideas, Envisioning Better Tomorrows

I remain a firm believer in late U.S. Senator Paul Wellstone's observation that "We all do better when we all do better." That objective might be worth pursuing more diligently."

If we don't look for ways to tamp down the vitriol and intense hatred which members of Left and Right teams freely direct at "the opposition," we will not only foreclose whatever options might still remain to find common ground that moves us all forward. Worse still, we will eliminate both the hopes for and attainment of a better and more peaceful future. We're too close to achieving that empty triumph as it is.

We might not want to acknowledge that we're all in this together, but we are. The sooner we pause for a moment and ask ourselves What Happens Then? if we continue to stoke the white-hot partisan fires, the sooner we realize that sustaining polarization is not in the best interests of anyone.

If we keep doing more of the same partisan same, the answer to What Happens Then? won't be to anyone's liking--not that current antipathy is offering us much. It's actually not contributing anything other than deepening the divide. There will be harsher consequences from doing more of the same.

Aren't we better than that? Shouldn't we want, expect, and deserve more?

There's plenty of blame to go around, of course. But we're no closer to one side winning--whatever that might mean--than we ever have. Partisans on each side might not (or might not want to) believe that, but if Left or Right is counting on Right or Left to concede, a long and painful wait is all that's guaranteed.

Sure as hell we won't experience "better" by doing more of what we're doing now".So I'm hoping to do my part by offering--from my staunchly progressive approach--a different and more meaningful perspective on our conflicted public dialogue. I invite you to join in. Who knows " we just might get to a better place after all!

Richard Turcotte is a retired attorney and former financial adviser (among other professional detours) and now a writer.