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Originally Posted by willravel
That's why it would be smart to drive demand in a different direction as soon as possible, so that we have more time for the conversation to take place. Had we started converting to alternatives in the 80s like we're trying to do now, it's likely that we'd be using substantially less oil than we're currently using. While you and I fall on different sides on several issues, I suspect that you'd agree that the US cannot indefinitely continue in it's rising use of oil, as oil is a finite substance.
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Currently the primary reason oil is so expensive is due to regulations. There is plenty of oil on this planet to meet our needs for hundreds of years. there is no compelling need to have the price as high as it is, even as we look for alternatives. With the price as high as it is, we are simply enriching other nations. Some of those nations don't have our interests in their thoughts.
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It's sort of a vengeance thing. Conglomerated oil hikes up the prices, bribes government officials, essentially leads us to wars, sabotages alternatives, etc... and it pisses people off. A lot. They make it difficult to want to protect them. I do understand that what's happening in China, Russia, Venezuela and the Middle East makes sense, but it wouldn't work in the US because the public doesn't trust the oil industry at all. Some of that mistrust may not be justified, but a lot is.
We'd be a lot better off regulating the crap out of them (punishing them) for a short time, and then protecting them but keeping them on a short leash. It's like having a guard dog that bites you, though. I'm sure you can appreciate the canine analogy. 
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Perhaps we would be better off if people like Hugo Chavez controlled all of the oil companies?
Or are we better served by having a healthy group of domestic oil companies?
If an oil company is corrupt or violates the law there should be consequences for that company, not the entire group of domestic oil companies, in my opinion.