[nathanbedford]

The German population harbours a deep suspicion towards fracking and fears its impact on the environment and, in particular, drinking water resources.

It seems we both have selected the above quotation to express the essence of the situation. As one who lives in Bavaria I can tell you that the matter is not one open for intellectual debate but rather it is a settled matter of received truth just as valid here as the proposition that the world is not flat but round.

I meet with Germans at least once a week and we discuss current affairs. When I advanced the proposition that there was no evidence, repeat "evidence," of fracking ever causing any damage in the United States I was rounded upon by my German friends and told I was flatly in error. Next week I photocopied all of the reports emanating from the governmental agencies in the United States, some having evidence statewide and some extending to multistate level, showing on the letterhead of the United States there was no evidence of damage caused by fracking.

When I presented these papers, they were dismissed as lies of America. These people had seen with their own eyes flaming water coming out of the tap and that was simply dispositive of the issue. That movie has done damage, similar to the damage caused by Columbine. In Germany there is no platform with reach to the whole demographic such as conservatism has in America in talk radio. In the absence of organized resistance, one sees the fixing of national opinions and the same one-sided result occurs on the issue of global warming.

As one FReeper pointed out, this will cost the Germans (and me) more for our utilities, (our electric bills are already the highest in Europe) and more to heat our homes. It will leave the Germans in a place in which they are far more likely to link up with Russia and turn their faces away from America, an eventuality which has precipitated at least one world war.at a minimum, it will sustain the price the Russians get for their gas and oil and inhibit efforts to contain Putin's Russia and his petro producing ally in Iran.

Before we rejoice in our own wisdom and congratulate ourselves for not being as foolish as the Germans, reflect for a moment on our policies regarding subsidies for biofuels and let us ask ourselves why do we persist in these policies, cui bono? Are we any wiser?

[TomasUSMC]

I don’t see the Germans making friends with the Russians. I see all of Europe looking at the Russian Bear and deciding that the English Lion is a much better option. Once they stopping crying in their beer, they will take note that the French are the only ones now in the Euro with nukes....and the French have a history of looking after themselves first.

So pretty soon they will come down through the chunnel carrying flowers and chocolates and begging the Brits to come back.

And the Brits might just tell them to .....fook off.

[Olog-hai]

“We” persist in biofuel subsidy? That’s like saying “we” persist in promoting gay marriage as if conservatives accepted that.

[EagleUSA]

“...Are we any wiser?...”

Very good and interesting post. Thanks for sharing.
No, the eco-nuts in the USA are just as bad. No difference since their motivation comes from the same ungrounded emotional lack of wisdom and knowledge that it does all over the globe. Point well made. Our critical thinkers and informed portion of the population do understand the real facts regarding fracking.