This polling data is new? As for myself, I've felt this way since the 1973 oil embargo and oil independence is what the politicians promised us way back then....until various special interests interfered over the past 32 years.

While many of us have had these opinions for years, as we've seen before with other issues, Americans are fickel and self-centered and their opinions turn on a dime. Gas prices go up and they want conservation and good energy policy. Prices go down, they forget conservation, and they go back to driving big gashogs and feeding their consumerism. The US auto industry is in trouble for catering to this shallow market and investing in big and glizty over smart future-thinking technology. It takes years to engineer fuel efficient cars and they ignored the warning signs and fought new Gov't fuel economy standards and cranked out big fat SUV's. Now US auto makers are getting their butts creamed by the japanese again and American consumers are enriching the asians. When will we learn?

I still remember the day in 1979 when my daughter was shopping for a new car in Indy. The second oil crisis had hit. There were the x-body cars newly out then with better gas mileage. The dealer lots were swarming with potential buyers wanting these particular cars. Some places had none left to sell. I remember the salesman who said, "Hey, I've got a whole lot of full sized Buicks back there."

I remember those days. I had been teaching a course on "resource conservation" and had already figured the impact of nationalization of oil fields some six months or so before the crunch. I went to the local Datsun dealership and bought a no-frills Datson 1200 for $2,400 and 36 mpg (actual) performance. Sales of the boxy little cars had been lagging, so there were several on the car lot; otherwise, shipment from Japan was measured in months.

I gave away my full size Oldsmobile (11 mpg) to my ex-wife.

I have been rebuilding and maintaining a Toyota Tercel which, after 200,000 miles still gets 30+ mpg. My foreman, also a mechanic, helps keep the car running and is allowed to use the vehicle for a longish commute as a business perk.

The conversation I heard was on the Al Franken show (& they're rerunning it as I write). interesting bit of info I heard from Esty was that a number of years back, he asked auto engineers about the more efficient technology & they said something like, 'Oh Yeah, it's there'.(&I have heard that before)

A recent comparison I heard by someone else was that the oil industry & its satellites(auto, energy) today are rather like the whaling industry of the past - refusing to accept the fact of decline until it was too late.

The folks who're getting on board w/ alt. energy technologies now will be ahead of the game soon enough, I think.

For discussion, why do many of us think that the government can do this better than private enterprise? When referring to our government the words develop, require and involvement are just ways for us to give up more of our freedom. Tom

I agree; let's promote private development of national parks and monuments. Six Flags can erect some terrific rides allowing more people to see the sights from higher perspectives. Faster too so more people can pay more money to visit and enjoy public lands. Disney can improve on the natural wonders by interposing fantasy venues tied well into marketing and promotion. Thus can national resources be rationalized and self financing.

I also agree. Since private industry is so much efficient, why don't they start funding their own research and development instead of socializing the costs and risks through institutions such as universities but then keeping the profits privatized? Think of how much more free we would be if the internet was developed using private funding.

Skagit, Gov't policy weds us closely to fossil fuels so how can we address energy solutions without at least correcting old policy? Private enterprise solutions are great in theory, but the deck is loaded in favor of oil business as usual making free-market innovations especially those requiring huge up-front R&D costs difficult in this climate. I agree that actual fuel efficient technology will be (is being) successfully developed in the private sector, but it is in the interest of Gov't to be supportive.

Apologetically my pdf accessability is down.Well then and regardless, What I ascertain (from their htm links)is a more general theme: our participatory role and responsibility in establishing an atmosphere of unencombered debate among the field of political candidates in this upcoming election.If there is a general shift in our attitudes and priorities,perhaps the staging isn't bolted down after all.Perhaps we shall find a candidate who might be bold enough (with our awareness and encouragement)to point out a different course.
Collectively, it might be the integration of the private sector;the proper functioning of scientific institutions;the perceptions of other nations in how we prioritize and actually implement our policies;the tone that a new helmsman may set,and our own involvement and commitment.But frankly, this discourse gauged against the vast array of societal problems and agendas,only speaks to me of the civility ,humility,and maturity that will be required to move foreward in a positive fashion.

Oh you guys everyone the government is more efficientÂ..take the Chinese, one flood and no more farming on the hill sidesÂÂdone, any questionsÂÂOh you donÂt like our decision, want to protest then we kill you Âsee how well a government does itÂs workÂ.

Al franken......Carol.....GI...GO

F_er, what are you selling today? Incoherent as alway; I can't blame this on my hearing loss.

You just don't have a decoder.

...duly noted, Marshall.The aging processes and ongoing deterioration of health must constantly be gagued against my wishes to participate here in a positive fashion. Now if other forum members can return to the important topic that Carol took the time and effort to post here, I will step back and attentively listen...
regards