This is a conscious policy to fool the US public about the real reason for rising gas prices. Democratic leaders need to get on the offensive and reiterate that the reasons for the high cost of gasoline are:
gouging by fossil fuel industry and refusal of republicans to vote for windfall profits tax;
refusal of Republicans to vote for vehicl fuel efficiency regulations;
refusal of Republicans to stop subsidizing the fossil fuel industry and allow clean, inexpensive alternatives of solar, geothermal, wind, etc to start giving us fuel free electricity.
 

  The gouging by rapacious oil companies stuff is pure populist poppycock. I cringe whenever the Democrats resort to this. The reality is simply that we have (and are) squandering a finite resource, and now we are being forced to pay scarcity pricing for something that is in fact scarce.   The blame really belongs on all the consumers who are using more than their fair share, but I can't imagine politicians will embrace this in the current environment.

   Consumption has to come down significantly. We can do this by price. We could also do it via rationing. We could also reduce demand by a gas tax and dividend scheme. But, I don't think our current political/cultural environment would permit these somewhat less damaging mechanisms.

Now let me get this straight, opening up the OCS and the 1002 area, then using proceeds from the lease sales for alternative energy research won't make a difference in energy prices.  

BUT, a windfall profits tax that seizes money from energy companies then using those funds for alternative energy research WILL make a difference?  

Is that even logical?  

I was a random recipient of a poll 3 weeks ago, full of questions slanted to oil companies (across the pollster could not confirm this). Most question were designed to produce a positive answer. Even the question "would increased drilling in the U.S. help us become energy independent" was phrased so it was hard to answer no. Although I understand very well that oil is a global commodity which the U.S. cannot control.
So I was expecting a push from the usual sources, Republican legislators, Fox news, and here it is. Complete with polling results that the public agrees with them.

Prices reduce when consumption goes down. Alternative energy sources, valuable for national security, reducing global warming, providing local control, and consumer pocketbook (at least in the long run) reduce demand.

 "The gouging by rapacious oil companies stuff is pure populist poppycock."

Would it be too much to ask for removal of subsidies for big oil, coal, nuclear, and agribizz?  Or would that be victimizing these wonderful "free" market institutions?

Wouldn't want to violate OPEC's corporate citizen's rights.  That would be unconstitutional.

In light of these recent windfalls (in profit), maybe they could give up their corporate welfare checks.  Like these "blending" subsidies.

BTW, when did multinational monopolies and state (shinese, saudi, russian) owned corporations get more rights (and government checks) than we each get?  

http://amazngdrx.blogharbor.com/blog

Darth,

As one of the anti-environmental trolls on this site, I expect such false comments from you.  No real environmentalist supports ANY oil drilling anywhere, regardless of who's doing it or who gets the profits.  I have posted many criticisms of Lula and his destruction of Brazil's rainforest for his B.S. leftist reasons.  Grist has not written about Tupi that I know of, otherwise you would certainly have heard from me.  As an environmentalist, I oppose all destruction of or harm to natural environments, regardless of who does it.