Centerfield

At this point, I see energy as more of a point for mutual bashing than constructive leadership.

On the other hand, it's probably just as well, as right now the most constructive steps that can be taken is funding all sorts of R&D. That policy is being followed in bipartisan fashion, although with different patronage targets on top of the likely shots.

That could well change if/when oil prices rise or atmospheric research is clear enough to dictate clear action.

Neither party has shown any leadership. Nor has anyone else (e.g., the media, private interest groups, etc.). Specifically, I haven't heard the term "energy conservation" since the 1970s. Where are the calls for us to conserve gas? Is anyone urging American consumers to reduce their consumption -- consumption of ALL products, every one of them influenced to some degree by the price of oil?

No. Instead our society continues to embrace and encourage unlimited consumption and a general mindset that bigger is better (cars, houses, airplanes). No one in the mainstream has asked Americans to understand our responsibility for the price of oil.

Once upon a pre 9/11 time, the primary publicly expressed concern related to fossil fuels was environmental. But NOW it's clearly also an economic and national security issue.

So I'm disappointed that there has been so little movement towards encouraging conservation related to the biggest fuel comsuming activities. It's pretty hard to deny we Americans as a group have lost no sleep over driving bigger more powerful cars and filling our houses with more and more electronic toys.

I think a move to re-commit to increasing fleet fuel efficiency standards is overdue, even if it meant increased taxation on the least efficient vehicles. Let's face it, most of the people out there (not all, mind you) are driving hummers just because they can, and because they want to. I think under current circumstances there's substantial virtue in trying to shape policies that make people not want to...