John, I agree with you!  These politicians rant and scream about taxing "windfall profits" -- yet the oil companies already pay more taxes than half the populace combined.  Why not lower the taxes that we pay at the pump?  After all the government has never produced a single drop of oil for us -- they just tax us on the efforts of the producers.

And there's absolutely no reason that anyone needs to drive around in a Hummer!

Three years ago I evaluated the cost of going solar. The payback was 12 years for the investment, even with the State of NJ subsidizing the install with considerable credits. I learned that one of the major manufacturers of solar equipment/cells is none other than British Petroleum.

If our domestic energy costs do not decrease it's not whether the recession will be short termed but if the depression can be avoided.

We all have to take responsibility for the cost of oil and our prior excessive use now we need to get to the process of finding a more efficient way to get around.

By the same token - these companies certainly don't require the vast amount of corporate welfare we have been dishing out.   As far as going solar is concerned - up until now it really hasn't been at all cost effective and perhaps the subsidies that have gone to oil companies should have gone to homeowners wishing to conserve energy.  Yes, we have some subsidies....but here is a situation where the government should put less money in the hands of oil companies and more in the publics pockets in order to make conservation a national goal. 

We bungled this and I'm sure the oil drenched administration that we had - had nothing to do with the fumble ....nooooo not them. 

I'm with you and Brian Block John.  Personally, I drive to and from work....and that's pretty much it.   I was never a 'Car Guy' and never will be.  To put it bluntly, I'll never be the their 'Customer of the Month.'  It's time, as it always will be, for us to take action and responsibility into our own hands.

I think the real estate decline is just the tip.  With home equity lines people purchased large cars, that now require expensive gas.  Food prices are going up like crazy, and with declining home prices...no equity lines to use as an ATM.

We are in a nasty cycle right now and like Andrew, agree that if we don't get ourselves under control as consumers, recession will be a nice word for the state of our economy.

If our country can put men on the moon, we can certainly solve our energy and fuel crisis with alternative fuels and as yet undiscovered methods. We just have to make it a priority. The current gas prices are starting to get our attention - they have been seriously affecting the poor and barely-making-it group for quite a while.

I'm making record profits from my investments in the energy sector, so to speak - so I can afford to drive my gas guzzling SUV. If I were to  purchase and drive a hybrid, my state would charge me a heavy tax to make up for their loss of my gas tax dollars. This IS about money and greed. Make no mistake. So I will live as I damned well please.

Someone is bound to stone me for my opinion. Fortunately, the hull of this beast I drive will keep me safe and unharmed :)

Brian... Those gas tax dollars are used to build and maintain our freeway system. On the other hand, if they didn't build them, we wouldn't use them... a solution of sorts.

I'll protect you Jennifer:-)

Jennifer, I have no problem with an SUV -- if people want to drive them, that's their own choice and they should not complain about gas prices.  I drive a Jeep Grand Cherokee myself and not a Prius.  Sure, tax dollars are supposedly used to maintain our freeway system.  Of course, here in Virginia, there are some practically uninhabited rural areas that have beautiful brand new roads, while in Northern Virginia where most of the drivers are and most of the tax dollars come from, we suffer with congestion and outdated highways.

Surely, there are better solutions for the freeway system that can be found through the private sector than through government programs. 

I drive a BIG SUV.  I want a 7 seater for large families.  It also saved me what a thoughtless Deer jumped in front of me last year.

Of course gas will stay high.  Things only go up.  They don't come down.  Of course, we could:

Drill in Anwar

Drill in the Golf of Mexico

Mine Shale

Burn Coal

Build Nuclear

Put wind farm off shore from Teddy Kennedy's house

Let Iraq pay for some of their own defense.

Let the Soudis pay for some of their own defense.

Take the floor out from under corn prices so David Letterman doesn't get any richer.

But, we won't do any of those things.  What will we do??  Only that which the political contributors pay our Congress to enact laws to protect. 

Good post John...I here a lot of complaining, but little talk or action on conservation!

I love it Lenn! I vote we burn more coal!! :-)

A solution is on the horizon my friends. Check out my "JC Bell" blog and you will see what I mean. As for the rest - Gas is more than $10 a gallon in the UK right now!

I don't care if gas is $10 a gallon in the UK.  You can fit the almost 3 UKs in Texas.