[Hoot Gibson]

I read your post just fine, but I do not know when you consider to be good economic times. However, I do know that demand for gasoline has stayed relatively the same for quite awhile, at least going back a decade. Sure there are dips in peaks for a month or so here and there, and small trends over a couple months but overall the demand has stayed the same. When prices were high under Bush it wasnt because demand was greater than production capability. It was for the same reason prices are high now. Speculation.

The gas and oil industry has nothing to do with supply and demand when it comes to its prices. As soon as people get past this little distraction technique used by both parties the sooner we can get to finding a real solution. However, as long as politicians think they can keep everyone distracted, they will not have to address the problem and will continue taking big time money from energy corps.

Let's say that tomorrow morning President Obama announced a new energy plan based on the following:

1. The oil reserves in Alaska's ANWR would immediately be opened for exploratory drilling. Upon the completion of exploration leases for those reserves would be auctioned to American oil companies.

2. The oil reserves off the Atlantic and Gulf costs would similarly be explored and lease to American companies - barring objection from the affected states.

3. A commission would be appointed and charged with making recommendations to place federal oil, gas, and coal reserves into production as quickly and as safely as practcable.

4. EPA regulations would revert to those in effect during the Clinton administration, to the extent that such changes would not violate current federal law.

These are changes in policy that Obama could easily make with very little effort.

Do you think that speculators would continue to inflate the cost of gasoline under this scenario?

There are good reasons for speculators to expect future gasoline prices to remain vry high. The right set of government policies would result in an immediate and sharp decline in prices at the pump. All it would take is a sane energy policy and a president who does not pander to environmental wackos and pour billions of taxpayer dollars into "green" alternative energy companies that happen to b very generous donors to his campaigns.