The spot is uninformed, intentionally I think. Starting the process to drill for oil in ANWR
might take as much as 10 years to realize results, but opening new areas to off shore drilling is an entirely different matter. There is enough equipment in the gulf of Mexico right now, companies could have operations up and pumping in some areas in as little as six months after being given the go-ahead. Even many of the very deep-sea rigs could be functional and in production in less than 5 years. Showing both OPEC and commodities speculators that we are serious about harvesting our own resources will immediately reduce the price of oil before the first barrel is pumped. That will help today. ...and I need the help! Not because my 4 cylinder Isuzu guzzles gasoline, but I fly so much for work that the cost of plane tickets has more than erased the raise I got this year!
More efficient cars will help, and they have been helping. There are quite a few cars being made today with relatively powerful 4 and 6 cylinder engines that are getting amazingly good mileage compared to similar vehicles made not too long ago. Stricter CAFE standards on the American automobile industry are being proposed in Congress. Perhaps MoveOn could explain how that would be a solution to energy concerns that we face today. Fact is, they couldn't because it wouldn't. Congress could legislate that every vehicle made tomorrow and forever must get a minimum of 45 mpg. It'd take a couple decades to replace the entire fleet of vehicles driven by the American public.