the point is that at SOME POINT in US history, we will leave oil.
Something will happen. Someone will design a better fuel. Solar or wind or water will become efficient enough. Nanotech will finally be ready. Just because a lawyer and powerlifter and web designer on a message board in 2010 can't imagine a world without oil - it will one day be a reality, whether we like it or not.
What will lead to this change? maybe it'll be better technology from the major energy companies. maybe it'll be some major accident like a gusher leaking for 2 or 3 years straight and destroying a big chunk of the ocean and atmosphere. Maybe it'll be some kid in his bedroom with a chemistry set or some mechanic in his garage.
it'll happen eventually. And those workers will eventually find new jobs. I'm sure there were lots of shoe repairmen and horse buggy repairmen and other fine americans whose jobs were obsolenced by better technology. I'm sure there were slave ship captains and slave auctioneers who lost their jobs in 1865 due to political changes.
I don't understand the pity for workers who chose to work for the by-far most careless comapny in the world, digging a hle a mile in the earth that nobody can stop. The ocean may die, we all may die from this shit - and you're upset we're stopping the deep oil digging. You can't tell us when this hole will stop - but you sure know you want more holes dug. What kinda shit is that?