Supposedly, nothing great lasts forever. The best democracies in history, Athens and Rome being two of the most successful, eventually came to an end. The United States may be the greatest civilization to date, but could it be possible that we’re reaching our end as well? Or are we reaching a threshold of transcendence into a new form of government?
Lifecycle of Democracy
Obama’s Energy and Environmental Team Completed
President-elect Obama has proven pragmatism and decisiveness with the completion of his energy and environmental team. He apparently understands the issues and is ready to lead.
His team includes:
Steven Chu, Secretary of Energy: Nobel physics laureate and head of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the EPA: former commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection
Nancy Sutley, Chairman of White House Council on Environmental Quality: former energy advisor to California governor, Gray Davis
Carol M. Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change: former EPA administrator under Bill Clinton
Ken Salazar, Secretary of the Interior: Colorado Senator
Tom Vilsack, Secretary of Agriculture: former Iowa Governor
Obama’s first stated target is to reduce U.S. GHG emissions to the level of 1990 by 2020. This is an incredibly bold goal and the wheels need to be put in motion immediately. The first course of action is deciding on a carbon tax and/or cap-and-trade system.






