Free SUVs

What commodity’s pull makes the powerful quiver and quail and heed its call? What massively subsidized fuel makes “the economy” run, in spite of more efficient existing technology? What is the mess in Iraq ultimately about? It’s the Crude, Dude!

Dear reader, do retreat from the exporting-democracy debate and instead read all about the real deal.

I must confess that until recently I was under the impression that U.S. foreign policy was, if woefully misguided, nevertheless well-intentioned. Of course, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, but I fell for the hype about the ideals being at the root. Which is not to say that I backed the pushing of Americanism round the world; to the contrary, I saw the world slouching towards Goleta with enough alacrity on its own.

I still believe that Team America thinks they’re the good guys, for whatever it’s worth. It’s counterproductive to demonize the opponent here. (To ridicule, though, is divine. . .) I believe that they see safeguarding our supply of oil as part of God’s plan. I don’t think it’s wrong to still see the U.S.A. as (caped) crusaders for truth and justice. (Okay, I’ll hold off on the ridicule.) The point is that freedom comes in many colours, not just red, white and blue. (And even that combination comes in several flavours.) What needs to be stressed is that not only is the Yankee version malignant, it’s also internally incoherent. (Can I have it both ways? I think I can!) It rests on the myth that the economic system derives its essence from unimpeded production and commerce, and that this represents/incorporates/derives from/inspires our beloved ideals of liberty, equality, democracy, what have you.

My favourite counter-example, illustrated profusely in Linda McQuaig’s only-available-in-Canada exposé It’s the Crude, Dude, is the automotive/asphalt/fossil fuel complex. Whether or not one buys into the notion that government should dirty its hands in the murky waters of economic development, it is inescapable that the private lifestyle is publicly subsidized, as I have put it before. When confronted with the ravages and decimations of the American city, and reminded of what prevails across the Atlantic (and just to our north, I might add) the typical libertarian, even one accustomed to an urban existence, will sigh and chalk it up to American preference or predilection for the open road, wide open spaces, lawns, lawnmowers, grills, personal vehicle ownership, personal lawnmower ownership, etc. These things truly are held dear by many, perhaps most of our intrepid citizenry, and not just those battling frontier elements in the wild red yonder, who just so happen to own a disproportionate chunk of the Senate. But for the lawnmower lifestyle to triumph over that formerly preferred by inhabitants of our northern tier and western littoral, someone’s rich uncle had to lend a hand.

Some of us may be fleetingly conscious of certain unimaginable statistics documenting Uncle Sam’s revolutionary anti-urban program. T