I agree with the basic notion of the article and the thoughts of Thomas Friedman (with whom I don't always agree) about the need to keep the price of gas at $3 or more depending on the price at which americans will change their purchasing and driving habits. Not sure what the number is, but it has been the only thing that has been capable of changing our ingrained habits. I would propose a sliding excise tax to keep the price above $3 with remittances to low income drivers and transportation companies. The resulting windfall would finance alternative energy spending, stimulus plans and any deficit reduction. Without higher priced gasoline the attempts to "mandate" efficiency are doomed to fail. We must create an economic incentive, that is unless Congress or the Executive brance is going to "make" americans drive what they tell us to drive regardless of our preference.

Keeping gas expensive enough to cut wasteful use is a key concept. And yes use the money to get us off of oil permanently.

Probably one of the most sensible and controversial proposals ever offered,, however the figure is half of what it should be: $20 per barrel is the more useful long term for energy planning policy. Of that amount of revenue, yes, $10 should be dedicated to alternative energy initiatives,,, and the other half be used to increase the strategic oil supply reserves until it large enough to be a warehousing cushion against price spiking, kind of like making the U.S. Government into a giant Costco of oil distribution.. leverage to buy in bulk per contract for the entire nation.

Are all of you nuts! the government needs to stay out of business they cannot even run the government properly!
Everytime they do something it creates a bigger mess. Look at the mess Clinton and his crew created with the housing mess, making housing purchases east for people that could not afford it. read the constitution the only thig they are to do is keep us safe and they can't do that properly stop big government we don't need it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Clinton did not create the housing mess; George Bush did that. Just about every mortgage that is in foreclosure, or is about to go into foreclosure, originated under George Bush's call for new ways to originate mortgages for people with could not qualify for home loans. He wanted 5.5 million of the homes sold by 2010. The majority of those 5.5 million homes are going to foreclose.

These new ways are called exotic subprime.

So yes, when you elect a moron to be President, he can cause huge problems. That is not the government's fault; that's on the voters.

Go ahead, put a 10 dollar a barrel tax on oil, and everyone will see the real Obama change. 2010, Congress goes Republican, and with noone working, unable to pay for heating oil and gas, Barrack is back to Chicago where he belongs.

Add a new tax to oil? Where would that money go? Would it go to the Dept Of Energy?

Here's a small glimpse of what DOE money has already done for you. Read these quips in the context of where we are today, then consider if you want to give just a little bit more. All information below is provided by courtesy of the DOE.

November 7, 1973
President Nixon launches Project Independence, with the goal of achieving energy self-sufficiency by 1980. Recalling the Manhattan Project, Nixon declares that American science, technology, and industry can free the United States from dependence on foreign oil.

December 22, 1975
President Ford signs the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, extending oil price controls into 1979, mandating automobile fuel economy standards, and authorizing creation of a strategic petroleum reserve.

November 9, 1978
President Carter signs the National Energy Act, which includes the National Energy Conservation Policy Act, the Power Plant and Industrial Fuel Use Act, the Public Utilities Regulatory Policy Act, the Energy Tax Act, and the Natural Gas Policy Act.

June 20, 1979
President Carter announces program to increase Nation's use of solar energy, including solar development bank and increased funds for solar energy research and development.

June 30, 1980
President Carter signs the Energy Security Act, consisting of six major acts: U.S. Synthetic Fuels Corporation Act, Biomass Energy and Alcohol Fuels Act, Renewable Energy Resources Act, Solar Energy and Energy Conservation Act and Solar Energy and Energy Conservation Bank Act, Geothermal Energy Act, and Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion Act.

March 17, 1987
President Reagan's Energy Security Report outlines the Nation's increasing dependence on foreign oil.

February 5, 1998
The Department of Energy and Occidental Petroleum Corporation sign final papers for the sale of the United States interest in the Elk Hills Naval Petroleum Reserve.
This transfer concludes the largest divestiture of federal property in the history of the U. S. government.

April 1, 1999
Secretary Richardson announces DOE's Africa Initiative, designed to promote African economic development and private investment in Africa's energy sector.

June 3, 1999
President Clinton issues Executive Order 13123 setting new goals for federal energy management.

June 21, 1999
The DOE announces the Wind Powering America initiative, designed to significantly increase the use of wind power in the United States over the next ten years.

June 2000
Congressional scrutiny of DOE security intensifies when computer disk drives containing classified information disappear at Los Alamos National Laboratory.



DOE 2005 Discretionary Budget Authority:
$24.3 billion (gross)

DOE 2006 Discretionary Budget Authority: $23.4 billion

Fiscal Year (FY) 2007 Budget for the Department of Energy (DOE) $23.6 billion

$24.3 billion budget for the Department of Energy (DOE) for Fiscal Year (FY) 2008.

Raising taxes in a severe recession is probably the single dumbest idea around. Increasing the cost of oil in the hope that it will prevent the tripling of the price that occurred this past year shows no understanding of the cause of the increase. And looking to Europe (which experienced a similar tripling of oil prices) for guidance on energy policy shows an ignorance of the effects of government interference in markets.

Good policy is made by those who have knowledge and understanding at a very high level. Regrettably politicians are often no smarter than those who write articles or comment on them.

Contrary to current thinking, economics works. Raising oil prices will kill demand. Burning foreign(especially nations who hate us like the middle east, russia, and venzuela) oil is a sin and like cigarettes should be taxed. How about the government guarantee a minimum price for oil? Say $100 a barrel. The auto companies will know what kind of cars to build and people can accurately budget their fuel costs. I think the high fuel prices started this whole economic mess because people didn't budget for them. Yes, it screws the poor because energy taxes are regressive but we can use some of the money as tax refunds for them.

You read postings that blame George Bush for the sub-prime melt down, and you start to understand how this same President could be blamed with a levee breaking in New Orleans, and actual hurricanes like Katriana. Bush was for more home ownership, but he was never for making loans to people who could not afford them. When a sitting President warns a Democratic Congress that Fannie May and Freddie Mac practices will cost the American tax payer billions someone might want to listen, but if you read some of the nut cases writing here, you can see they never listened, they will never be able to listen, they simple don't care...they just want to win. Obama will be responsible for the more problems than one can imagine right now. Just wait and see...my advice start an LLC immediately and start writing things off...

Anyone advocating raising the price of oil is as much of a crackpot as a person who thinks people should only eat a beans and tofu. Maybe you have the kind of disposable income to pay the high gas price or buy a few hybrids on a whim. Just like the liberals who understand the poor, who are all millionares.

I drive a compact car that gets 32mpg. Should I be punished with higher gas prices? Should I be forced to buy a car that I can't afford since we are still 5-10 years away from affordable electric and hybrid cars. By that I mean $15k for a hybrid car that matches the performance of a $15k Civic.

Unlike many countries we need to drive in America. I did buy a motorcycle that gets 70mpg when it is sunny outside. However living in a city that is rainier than seattle and has a winter that lasts from November to April I still need my car.

A $20 oil tax is too logical for the Washington wimps. If it were (by some miracle) to pass, I suggest to add a provision, that if gas gets to $3 a gallon, then the tax be reduced to $15, and back to $0, gradually, as long as gas is over $3 per gallon. Get my drift?

Why not just go back to gas rationing with vouchers that way people have to cut back but it won't punish the poor people who can't afford the gas tax. Just ration gas and people will have to learn to carpool, walk or ride buses or bikes to where they need to go. If they run out of vouchers for the month they can't buy gas they'll learn alternative ways to conserve gas if they have to.

Excuse me... I thought our govt is supposed to respond to our needs/ concerns/ wants?! Our gov is not in the bus. of dictorial mandates. The majority of you think we need to be spanked or else. Just who put your elitists perspectives above the commoners? BTW- housing crisis info: your devil (G Bush) fought against Sen Shumer Et al from absorbing fannie/ freddie, knowing a drop dead date was coming... look it up!

A good way to cut out unnecessary use of oil is to take away all private jets from CEOs and their companies. Putting another federal tax on gas is not spreading the wealth around, oh no, it is spreading the taxing around. The middle class is sick of being hit on all sides. Time to stop this nonsense before it starts.

I wish all you shallow thinkers who like to demonize and blame Clinton or Bush personally for all of the country's problems would realize that Coungress has the authority and responsibilty for making laws and the ensuing regulations to prevent these kinds of messes. Where were they these past 20 years? Where was YOUR congressman?

Clinton wanted to give minorties a chance to own a home. Home ownership is a way to give people pride and a chance to move
themselves to another financial level by
building equity in thier home. Instead of paying for someone elses home.
Clinton pressured Fannie and Freddie to accept some of these loans in a trial. The article was in the New York Post.
Predator loan companys went after the
minority buyers. I bet these loan officers didn't vote for Clinton.
The inexperienced buyers were sold bad loans because of ignorance. I believe alot of them would not have forclosed on their loans if fuel,food,and other house hold
needs didn't go though the roof. Instead that money went into the pocket of big corporations who also did not vote for Clinton.
The housing forclosures of minorities was not the problem. The problem accured in the states with the most forclosures FL, NV,AZ and CAL.
The loans were on five hundred to million dollar homes. When the minority buyer got the loan it opened it up to everyone.
The no down payment loan,interest only
loan,waiting for the price of the home to go up and then sell for a profit loan was a
major problem in the housing business. The glut of houses on the market hit the wall. Houses were no longer worth what was owed on them. The people who could still make the payment walked away from their loans and the housing bust turned into a run away.
This all was happening under twelve years of a Republican controlled house and Senate and eight years of a Republican President and you still want to blame Clinton. What were the people you back doing?
Would you please stop blaming and hating Clinton,get over it!

The housing bust is a product of deregulation. Regulation is a nessesary evel to contoll greed of big corporations.
To much is bad, to little is worse!

The $10 a barrel tax may seem like a good idea. Here is a thought to concider.
The fuel economy on cars is going to improve over the next century. If every car in America would double its miles per gal. we would only collect half the road tax. How do you think we will pay for our roads? If we see a influx of electric cars that pay no fuel tax, the tax will have to be paid by the lisence plate.
If you take the gals of gas and diesel per barrel and devide it into $10 how much is it?
I believe a tax increase at the pump has to happen. With fuel down for the mean time, it would be a small amount paid by
all consumers to help secure our road infrastuture and also use it to advance our technology into alturnative energy.

WRONG --CLINTON DID CREATE HOUSING PROBLEM HE PUT THE PEOPLE IN THAT SCREWED IT UP--BUSH FIRED THEM IN 03 OR 05 -BARNIE FRANKS ALSO MAJOR COTRIBUTOR