U.S. isn’t trying very hard to solve gas price problem

Let’s face it, there’s no simple and quick solution to rising fuel prices.


Instituting a national gas tax holiday sounds nice, but critics differ over how much of an effect it would really have at the gas pump.


Lawmakers this week are expected to approve legislation directing President Bush to stop putting 70,000 barrels of oil a day into the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The reserve stands at 97 percent of capacity, with some 701 million barrels in stock. But, again, how would putting those 70,000 barrels into the open market affect the price of gas? That’s where critics and supporters disagree.


Instead, this week, Bush will travel to Saudi Arabia, where he will again beg the Saudis to increase oil production.


Our problem with the whole situation is this:?No one seems to be talking about conservation. No one seems to be talking about recovering oil from areas we aren’t currently tapping. And, worst of all, no one is talking seriously about increasing our own production capability by building new refineries, something the United States hasn’t done for more than 20 years.


While we complain, discuss, accuse each other of playing politics and continue to drive gas-guzzling vehicles, the prices continues to rise and we continue to pay it.


There may be no quick and easy solutions, but it seems that, as a country, we’re not trying very hard to solve the problem, either. Until we get serious about changing out habits and changing our attitudes about recovering and refining our own available oil, nothing’s going to change.