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1 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 5 stars for bravery Mar 10, 2010
after seeing the documentary "collapse", i wanted to understand more of what is being touched on in this film. i had not heard of michael ruppert before and read this book (which is basically the same as "confronting collapse" only in an 'earlier state') without any prejudice. in the meantime i did more research and am seeing that critics here and elsewhere are focussing in on the author's occasional self-aggrandizing way, calling him a lunatic and/or are feasting on predictions and statements which they are able to oppose. others are eager to ridicule his life and discredit anybody who is willing to allow his logic to penetrate their brains as a 'follower'.
this distribution of red herrings all around reminds me very much of the same-old tricks used to sidetrack from the information that is being conveyed by 'anY inconvenient truth'.
yes, the writing will certainly not win the pulitzer.
yes, some of his suggestions will make you cringe (hopefully not the one where he proposes to legalize drugs - i do not consume them [yet] but i will certainly need them then).
yes, some of the data has minor mistakes.
no, none of this takes away from the presented facts.
the one criticism that tickles me the most is that of "alarmist" .
i am not sure how anybody who takes on the task of conveying an unfavourable message - especially the one of a bleak future - can do so in a way that would not come across as alarming but be pleasing to the listener. maybe he should try it with a song? (which, apparently, he now does... ;-))
rather than focusing on the author and his sometimes awkward writing, we are better served by absorbing the message. all the messenger has done is to link and condense information and data into an easy-to-understand book that urgently needs to be read by all of us. don't shot HIM!
in short: michael ruppert's ultimate contribution lies in the investigation of huge amounts of data from various sources and their condensation into a crucial yet simple essence. from what i understand, it has taken him a lifetime to do and this is the result. do we want to squander our and everybody else's lifetime by continuing to question his rather uncomplicated equation, namely that -1 + -1 in deed equals -2?
-2 provides an unpleasant correction to the belief that anything can be rendered into a positive amount via subtraction. to those brave enough to give truth a chance: this book shows us what the future truly holds 'in stock'.
we have been brainwashed and this is the antidote. so imagine for a moment, if you will, living in "the matrix": you now have the choice. what's it going to be - the red pill or the blue pill? go for red and read this book. take the blue and don't worry, be happy.
4 of 4 found the following review helpful:
 Update title is Confronting Collapse Jan 09, 2010
Before ordering this book, compare with Confronting Collapse, by the same author.
Both books have 264 pages, with essentially the same content, so most reviews of A Presidential Energy Policy should apply to Confronting Collapse, but Confronting Collapse has a later publication date and small changes.
2 of 2 found the following review helpful:
You Need to Read This NOW Sep 14, 2009
I retrained out of my 20-year career as an oil exploration surveyor in 1998. Reason? We were running out of oil to find and work was getting scarce. For me, it was proof positive that "Peak Oil" is here and now. Read and consider our future as exporting countries start having trouble filling our orders. Ruppert's explanation of how cheap energy is tied to economics is worthy of some deep thought. See also "The Long Emergency" by Jim Kunstler. Consider acquiring some land that you can sink a shovel into. Get to know and love your neighbors - travel may one day be a luxury reserved for the filthy stinking rich and the military. Windmills seem to be the cheapest source of alternative energy for your home....plan now or be left freezing in the dark! The 25 suggestions he makes at the end of the book might work in a Utopian society, but I know they won't float in the current geopolitical climate.
0 of 1 found the following review helpful:
 A Most Urgent and Important Book Jul 13, 2009
Michael Ruppert's new book offers a critical analysis of money and energy. It's a worthy study and he's been able to soften his caustic style and offer hope for the world.
If you read no other books about economic policy this year, please read this one! And do buy two copies and send the other to your MP or Congressman.
3 of 3 found the following review helpful:
 A Dulled Edge for Ruppert Jul 06, 2009
My 3-stars is meant as "read the book" but I certainly cannot heartily recommend this book as either an excellent resource on peak oil and its connection to the present-day economy nor as an example of the fine research and writing that Mr. Ruppert put forth in Rubicon. As noted by another reviewer, he has kind of taken on a cult following and they came out with many 5-star ratings here, but on its own merit I thought the book was mainly a rehash / resummarization of M. King Hubbert, Jay Hansen, Jim Kunstler, Richard Heinberg, Matt Simons and others with little new to say. I still think that Mike Ruppert has "connected the dots" for many people over the years and that he has a first rate mind. I can overlook the multitude of editing errors, the tortured phrasing of many sentences, and the self-aggrandizing tone, except that, in the end, this book seems to be Mike phoning it in.
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