Bush's Achilles Heel - not the war but OIL

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

Gas prices are HURTING millions of Americans where in hurts - in their immediate and personal pocketbooks. Can we please seize this moment for the opportunity it presents - could Democrats initiate a serious discussion on the future energy policies of this country?- Could they expose this adminstration's policy for the secret, sinister, fraudulent,corporate welfare, wealth-tranferral, path-to-hell-in-ahandbasket- system that it really is?

I am disgusted with all leadership on this issue since Jimmy Carter. We had a brief moment in the eighties with federal tax credits for solar and the like and since then everyone has been in the pocket of the oil industry. Why doesn't George Bush rescind his tax breaks for the wealthy and instead lower federal taxes at the gas pump?

On a side note, I know all about increased demand,peak oil, etc.etc.etc., but am I really supposed to believe that there was a 66% increase in demand over the couple of months?

[The Backlash Cometh]

1. Oil is thicker than blood.

You know, we do have some good hearted philanthropists out there. Why don't they get in contact with those people who have already boosted their MPG to over 200 and see what they can come up with for the good of the world? I say, do the research outside of any continental boundary that limits research due to patent rights. When it's done, start selling the cars in whatever country is willing to fight off GM, Toyota or whoever.

[BlueEyedSon]

2. The two are not unrelated

All the petroleum executives in the Whitehouse have known about Peak Oil for years.

[whistle]

3. No, can't believe anything that a cartel tells us....

...and Big Oil is part of the oil cartel. They simply raise prices to any level that their greed guides them to. Like any industry which begins to exercise such economic power over society, it has to be regulated just like utilities. The additional rationalization for regulation is that oil has peaked and when the current known supplies are gone, there will essentially be no more. I would rather have the excess margins go toward R&D for new energy sources then into the pockets of oil company executives and preferred stock holders.

No more depletion allowances either. That always been a financial boondoggle for oil companies and another tax avoidance scam.

Another thing that oil companies need to be held accountable for is the manipulation of stock prices (i.e. claiming huge reserves when they knew full well they were giving false information to the public).

[slor]

4. I agree...and they are failing to seize this moment...

I would be quoting all the statements made about Clinton era gas prices by the repigs, I would be pushing renewables like it was crack, I would suggest, strongly, the use of Thermal Depolymerization, for waste treatment, I would push an invigorated Rail system, Hemp production, and so much more. And I would also point out the utter failure of a "bomb their ass, steal their gas" energy policy.