Well, we can certainly increase drilling, but the problem with gas prices isn't necessarily "speculation" or reduced supply. Yes, those two play a factor, but the real issue is our dollar's value.

For example, let's look at this chart:


As you can see, when you plot the cost of oil compared to the world value of gold, the idea that cheap oil is gone is really a myth. In fact, it has hardly increased since the 1940s! What has happened is that our wonderful politicians think that it was a nice idea to be able to print & borrow as much money as possible. Therefore, the value of our dollar tanks and the price of everything goes up. I'm not saying that we should return to the gold standard as there are problems with that, but we need to make sure that Congress is fiscally responsible. Otherwise, we're going to face a huge economic crash that will be far worse than the Great Depression and this time, we'll have our huge deficits on top of everything else.

I agree !  Also wind power.  I'm afraid that all of the efforts made in the last few decades to help and maintain our environment are just going to be cast aside to save a few pennies on gas !  Not to mention the nation could be fueled completely on hemp oil !

Yes, just imagine how much quality doobage would be ruined if there was pollen floating all over the place from industrial hemp that won't get a fly high.

Start drilling.

Absoutely we need a combination of sources in the long term.  Short term expanded drilling and nuclear are going to be our best bets.  Great point about wind being useless in areas not having wind.  It goes the same for solar in certain places of Alaska where it's dark for long streches of time.  Energy solutions should be left up to states, and there's a Constitutional basis for that as well.  We have enough coal here in PA to provide enormous amounts of energy.  I think the Ethanol mistake is becoming more apparent with the floods unfolding out in the midwest.  All those subsidies to Ethanol artificial limited the corn crop as it was, making everything from cereal to meat more expensive, and now with a large portion of the crops that are still left standing earmarked for ethanol the impact is that much worse.  Crop dieases, weather patterns, etc, are much riskier and have a much larger chance of failing for energy needs, especially ones that also serve as substinance.  Even worse, with an already critically over budget government, FEMA responses are going to be terrible in the Midwest, and we've been so over taxed, and have seen our market so mainpulated by government intervention that the amount of money we'd be able to give to charities to help out those poor people is even more diminished. 

I agree. A combination is very important. Nuclear scales up very well and is efficient in that area, but not good for small areas. Solar & wind fill that very nicely.

nuclear, solar, wind....but what about hydrogen?