dawgma

I would like to politely point out that John McCain has suggested or proposed nothing that would LIFT our dependence on foreign oil, or even REDUCE our dependence on foreign oil, for that matter.

No, all John McCain has done is what all Republicans and Bush do and have done for the last seven years, and that's use any excuse they can for another tax cut for the wealthy or, in this case, private, hugely successful oil companies. It is a tax break for the rich, pure and simple. Plus the added advantage of getting rid of a few annoying environmental regulations while they're at it!

These are all things being done to help the oil companies' bottom lines, not the average Joe.

No amount of new drilling is going to eliminate or reduce our dependence on foreign oil - it is just too immense! And prices wouldn't fall, anyway, because even domestic oil would still sell at (set?) market prices.

Has McCain suggested ways for us to USE less oil in general? Of course not. Not good for the rich bottom line - you know, the people McCain represents. And using less oil in general is the only long term solution to this current problem, and is the only solution to saving money and perhaps bringing the price of oil down.

Meanwhile, as long as oil companies are going to reap huge windfall profits at the expense and business loss of all other businesses, why not tax it to kingdom come? The windfall profit tax won't lower our prices, no - it won't add new oil or reduce our dependency on foreign oil - no

All the windfall profits tax will do is take back some of our hard earn

Invented plastic for one. Who do you think will pay the increase in taxes? Why hasn't the Dem's and Obama come up with a domestic drilling program as the Rep's have. Who are the shareholders of the oil companies? One of the largest is the Ca teachers pension plan. I know that the teachers or rich fat cats.

Sik in the head.....Boloney!

I feel like I am reading the Communist Press every time I read Sik's comments.

McCain needs to get some backbone, and push for massive domestic drilling, including Alaska. If we had drilled in Alaska, back in 95, we would be receiving 1 million barrels of oil daily. Gas prices would not be near as high. The goal of extreme environmentalist is to destroy our country and Capitalism.

Democrats voted against drilling for more oil 50 miles out past our own coastline. They want to keep us dependent on foreign oil until the election in November. By voting to drill does not mean research should be stopped or using alternatives. Democrats are not going to do anything to help gas prices, economy, or rising unemployment. It is not in their best interest and they will block anything that would help now.

P.S. neither canadate cares about how much gas costs for you and me, or how much it affects a families budget. Think about it!!!

Very briefly, yes, all McCain has suggested is more tax cuts (oh, "tax credits" "tax incentives", whatever the Republicans call them this week) for big oil companies.

Tax cuts for big oil companies making record, obscene profits on our dollar! Great idea!

Problem is: Bush has been there, done that. It's been done. It failed. Miserably.

It's time to move on.

I really hope McCain DOES push for "..massive domestic drilling, including Alaska".

Because then we can be that much more sure about BEATING him in November!

Because I believe over 50% (maybe barely, judging from this blog) people don't want our environment raped, and further understand that even if we DID get millions and millions of barrels of oil, the price would not drop. In fact, I can see it increasing because, as they would tell us with a tear in their eye, all this expensive drilling and development costs MONEY, raising their costs. Which, of cours, is true.

Sure, I won't argue that there is not really enough difference between the parties to be that big of a deal. We need somebody more to the left than just-slightly-right-of-center Obama and so-far-right-it-hurts McCain.

But for now, given the choices, I'd rather tax the oil companies than give them yet another in a long, seven year series of tax breaks that we taxpayers pay for.

And that means Obama.

I think Sik may have the right idea here. Let's increase the tax on these filthy rich oil companies, after all, they'd never think of passing along an increase in cost. If we look at the cost of gasoline, it has been rising slower than the cost of crude oil. See, the filthy rich oil companies don't always pass the cost increases on to the consumers. Surely, they wouldn't think of passing on the cost of a tax increase.

Second, we should make it more difficult for them to explore and utilize reserves in the United States. To do so might have a negative effect such as reducing unemployment. If someone becomes employed, they might have to pay income tax, and we all know that's not fair. Only the filthy rich should pay taxes.

Man, it's hard to think like a liberal.

You guys see what happened to the market at just a whisper of pumping more oil – even from a foreign country? There is plenty to be had, the prob is we just do not have enough US refineries or drill sites. Funny, if there is a shortage, the chatter about pumping more would not affect the price because it would be about the supply, not the ability to supply. Eventually we will run out, but it’s a while away and what we need to do is get the oil we need and develop alternatives. We need honesty about the situation so the traders can set the prices according to the facts and not the fear.