The USA is caught in an intractable dilemma: The mechanism of Politics cannot by itself successfully transmit the essential message that will inform and transform the body politic.
The Politician is constrained by the electoral process to deliver promises of better times ahead.
The profound message that we are running short on oil must be delivered by Mother Nature or some a-political source. Only then can the Politicians respond, offering their solutions. The outcome can be less painful if we act now.