More From The Road To Malaise -- What Does The World Get For It's Investment?

But keep in mind, you're right, we can't tell them don't grow. We can't drive our SUVs and, you know, eat as much as we want and keep our homes on, you know, 72 degrees at all times, whether we're living in the desert or we're living in the tundra and then just expect every other country is going to say OK, you know, you guys go ahead keep on using 25 percent of the world's energy, even though you only account for 3 percent of the population, and we'll be fine. Don't worry about us. That's not leadership. (CNN Transcripts)

Can I just make a couple of points here?

I saw the uncut version of Obama's Sunday Oregon statement and (other then again pointing out that we are all gonna be hungry and cold) provide a little context on Mr. Obama, his world view, and the Democrats.

First aren't we closer to 5% of the worlds population? 6.5 billion divided by 330 million is about 5.1%.

Second the left loves to make the point that the US uses about 25% of the worlds natural resources it is rarely mentioned that the US produces 21% of the worlds food (http://www.fas.usda.gov/wap/current/toc.asp) and (if you include The Green Revolution) are arguably responsible for up to 60% of the worlds total food production.

In addition the US creates 27% of the worlds annual wealth (2006 world GDP figures). That is money spent worldwide that people earn to feed and clothe their families that they wouldn’t have if it wasn’t created here (and don’t even start the argument between the haves and the have-nots. Wealth is not a zero sum game where one has to loose just because another wins.)

So, it would appear to be an overall effective use of the extra natural resources. Drop the amount we use and risk reducing the food produced that helps feed the world, something we have already seen with the ethanol debacle.

When you realize that we produce so much of the worlds food and wealth it puts that little canard of using 25% of the worlds resources or produce 21% of the greenhouse gases for only 5% of the worlds population in a VERY different light.
DKK