I wonder what would a list of countries rated by Biggest Blockheads in Government come up like?  What might the criteria be?

"Thinks we need more prohibitions."

"Thinks the rich and the poor are not structurally related"

heh....I'd be interested to see any results.  Maybe start with the UN Security Council, then the U.N.--

"Thinks that global climate change is primarily an economic problem."

I can't resist.

Don't fight forces, use them R. Buckminster Fuller.

Well, sure. But I have actually talked about peak oil with a certain minister in the current government. He knows. Maybe because of his oil industry experience. The former soc dem PM mentions how he think how we have already peaked, in his recent memoirs.

Some people high up do know. But because of the workings of democracy they are constrained. They can't act against the will of the people without risking being thrown out. And also, for every peak oil guy telling them stuff, there is a Yergin telling the opposite.

Matt Simmons was an energy advisor to Bush. He has heard the stuff. But there are plenty of other advisors saying other stuff.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.