When will people wake up to the fact that neither the Dem's or the Repub's want the cost of gas to go down. It's one of the biggest income producers for all of them and a cut would take lots of $,s out of the budget. They love it when we argue among each other about which president, party, or industry is responsible! The truth is that big oil and both sides of the isle are working together to control oil exploration. Lets wake up and figure it out, we are being used!!!

.... “thinking of you". Although they may be able to convince the un/misinformed American public with a promise short-term alleviation (lower taxes/energy prices); little attention would be paid to actually solve the problem. Short-term thinking will continue to hurt the public while creating small burst of political and financial gain to those who profit directly from Big Oil. To those easily convinced that, wealthy, oil-thirsty politicians are making decisions in “your” best interests; I suggest opening your eyes a crack, and spending more than a second of thought—maybe even induce a bit of critical thinking if the pain can be tolerated.

I agree with Mr. Peterson on one point; “America is so far behind the world energy curve that we are approaching the point of no return.” During the energy crisis in the 1970’s, Japan and most of Europe acknowledged the problem and put measures into place to adapt. As soon as prices came back down here, we dismissed the problem and went on telling ourselves it must have been solved.

Looking at the proclamation that more drilling will create so many new jobs, one should think of the job possibilities created by the research, creation, and implementation of new renewable technologies. Creativity, innovation and investment in renewable technologies will foster new jobs—many more than the investment in a century-old technology. The fear of change, new ideas, and innovation severely limits the US in many ways.

enough...again with the miss-information. You forget to mention why the Republicans were in opposition. The main reason wind fall profits tax---which would have cost you the consumer more money; those shameless Republicans thinking of you, just terrible.

The U.S. Energy Information Agency reports that even IF the outer continental shelf were opened up to more drilling, and ASSUMING that Big Oil actually starts drilling right away, peak production would not be reached until 2030 and even then production would not have a significant impact on world oil prices.

They’ve been sitting on 66,000 acres of permits and leases for years now, but Republicans recently blocked legislation requiring them to either use them or “lose” them, so that perhaps smaller companies might jump in and start producing.

Why do you think Republicans )and some Dems) did THAT?

For a clue on why, let’s consider how much Shelley Capito (R-WV) earned while she’s been in Congress, and compare it to what she’s been paid. According to OpenSecrets.org, she’s become a multimillionaire through her low-taxed “unearned assets” – simply through her stock and commodities portfolio investments.

Most folks don’t go from just-under a million bucks to multimillionaire by earning $150,000 per year, but then again her husband is a very successful “Personal Investments Manager” at CitiCorps’ Washington, DC branch. Oh and did I mention that CitiCorp just happens to be the largest funder-of-hedge-funds in the world?

Anyway, Rep Capito (who sits on the House’s powerful Banking and Securities oversight committee) voted against the Dem’s “Use It or Lose It” Bill even though it was fashioned to go a long way to break up Big Oil’s monopoly. Meanwhile she’s pushing granting them the option to drill in unopen areas of the Outer Continental Shelf, despite the fact that The U.S. Department of Energy reports that the vast majority of federal oil and gas resources offshore are already available for development.

According to the Minerals Management Service, of all the oil (85.9 billion barrels) and gas (419.9 trillion cubic feet) believed to exist on the Outer Continental Shelf, 82% of the natural gas and 79% of the oil is located in areas that are currently open for leasing (such as areas in the Gulf of Mexico and off the Alaska coast).

So like all the other Republicans that blocked the Dem’s “Use It Or Lose It Bill”, Shelley Capito (R-WV 2nd) is essentially for granting Big Oil the ability to sit on every drop until they can squeeze even more profit out of us.

Is anyone else wondering why she might be doing that?

And yet it is Speaker Pelosi who said that she would not allow a bill to drill to come to the floor for a vote. As she said, she trying to save the planet, and that's much more important than the struggles of the little people who'll just have to learn how to make do.

You see, this is what the republicans do. They state flat out lies or half-truths as fact, and bank on the fact that most Americans are either too ignorant, or too lazy to fact check them.

It's a "they don't know that we know" type of ploy.

Become a second rate Nation.? Have you taken a good look at our education system and the amount of students that drop out of no child left behind.? Have you looked at our manufacturing base that has been shipped overseas for cheap labor? Have you taken a look at unemployment in this Country? Have you taken a look at our Financial debt? The only profit to be taken by Drill Baby Drill is by the Oil Companies. Do you know what our dollar is worth today? The next President will not be able to do much because of the weakness of our dollar, our outrageous debt, and the weakness of the middle class. Oil will not bring us to Prosperity. I am so angry at this nonsense I could just (can't put that in writing).

Peterson if only you weren't so biased. The Dems before their vacation tried to bring an energy Bill to the floor three times within two weeks. Included off shore and lease Drilling now. Finish alaska pipe line, use oil reserves and alternative energy plans. Bush treatened to veto it. Republicans voted no. The second time the Dems brought it to the floor for a vote with Republican concessions the Republicans fillibustered. When the Sentate fillibusters no voting gets done. The do nothing Congress is a result of the Republicans fillibustering 90 times since the Dem took a slim majority in 2006. Your presentation of this issue is so Republican , it represents half truths. Thankful that it is not an out right Lie, Like the Lie Bush told us to get us to War.