CT Programmer

Canadian Royalty Trusts Will Never Return to Their Former Glory

"Can oil and gas return to former pricing? I doubt it until after 2011 or 2012"? Are you kidding me? The average price in 2007 was $72, and you really think that its current $40-50 price is here for good? Mexico and Russia have projected 5-8% declines in production next year. Venezuela's actions over the last year won't boost production. Saudi Arabia proved that their running at maximum. Those are long-term trends that will not reverse. Meanwhile, despite any short-term demand destruction from a recession, you have increasing demand from China and India. Sure they're not booming at 9-11% anymore. They've slowed to ONLY 5-6%. Less oil... more demand.

Implementing Pickens' Plan for Public Energy Policy

What ever happened to the promise of 40, 50, 60 mpg cars? Right after the oil crisis in the 70's, Japan's cars started selling like hotcakes in America mostly because of fuel efficiency. And they kept getting better and more efficient, until we had a glut of oil and 99 cent gas, then the trend started reversing and you started seeing bigger and heavier vehicles with less and less mpg. All of what you said will happen --- the switch to non-oil-based engines --- not because of any government plan but because of economics. It will get more and more expensive to use oil as it becomes scarce, and therefore the alternatives will become cheaper. The question is whether government helps in that transition and makes it orderly, or whether they fight against it in a mad dash to save antiquated systems. I like your tax idea, but you didn't take it far enough. America needs to dump the income tax and move to an entirely sales tax based system. That is the essence of a fair system. You pay based on what you consume. The rich consume more, so will pay more taxes. The poor consume less so will pay less. No more loopholes. Taxing consumption and not income will provide social incentives to work harder and save more.