xsuddensam

Really, Really Bad News About Oil

As the world's largest consumer of oil, Americans can thank our political leaders for our non-existent energy policy and our cheap gas. They ignored the early warning of the 1970's oil shock, kept gasoline cheap and they did nothing to find alternative fuels.

Back then, if the politicians had slapped an extra one dollar/gal. tax on the American consumer, Detroit would have been forced to build more fuel efficient vehicles, air pollution would have been decreased and demand and prices would have fallen. I'm sure big oil and Detroit would have loved that.

Now, we are literally bent over a barrel of oil with few if any alternatives. There are no immediate viable solutions. Hopefully, the high cost of fuel will promote conservation and thereby drive down demand and prices. Without leadership and a sound energy policy, we are facing social and economic catastrophy. It might already be too late.