Are the American People STUPID?

Obama is correct on both fronts. If YOU use less, than it will effect your budget less (this is so simple even a REPUBLICAN can figure that out!!). And, if we produce more oil here in the US it isn't going to put a dent in the overall price because supply isn't what is effecting the price of gas. Oil ISN'T trade on a supply and demand bias most of the time, it usually is traded on a FEAR, and SPECULATION bias. On Thursday there was word that the SPR would be tapped and the price of oil only went down a little bit. To all of you drill baby drill people I have one question for you: Why would you want to take a resource out of OUR ground only to receive a SMALL increase in taxes, royalties for the land owner, and to see that oil shipped to CHINA????? We export over a million drums of oil a day, there is NOTHING to say that the oil that we get of our land HAS to be used here, and the oil companies would NEVER sign any agreement to do that. Why do you think there are so many wells here in the US that oil companies don't use? Because it doesn't make economic sense to run them!!!! What you don't understand about oil is that it is much cheaper to drill in the middle east, than here in the US. So, in order to get more oil from the US you need the price to be higher so that the companies will drill more. That is why you get these large drops in oil like what happened in late 2008 early 2009. Once the price gets up there the oil companies can drill everywhere and still make money. The creates a huge glut of oil and when the price gets higher we use less which creates a bubble. Steven Chu's correct that we as a country need to use less oil, and find more efficient ways to run our lives. The problem is that we should also eat better, get more exercise, and take better care of our selves, and the vast majority of us aren't doing that either. So you can take that with a grain of salt!!

Stupid people elect stupid rulers. We're socially, religious and patriotic blinded. This doesn't goes for all of us but many of us, we don't cut spending but increase it. Loans should be paid not created.

During the last spike in gas prices President Bush approved more drilling permits and what we are seeing now with increased domestic production is a direct result of that. The funny thing is President Obama appears to be taking credit for it and it sounds like it was his idea. Remember he would like to see European gas prices here in the US and to raise the tax would not go so he is doing it by other means. Federal tax on gasoline is $0.184 per gallon, add to that the state tax Average of $0.286 per gallon. The US and state governments make almost as much as the oil companies between the sale of leases, royalties on crude oil and the gas tax and the diesel tax and the corporate income tax and the tax on dividends gives the government a hugh chunk of money every year and they are not taking any risk.

Well, simply said..if he is so pro clean energy, solar and "alternative energies"...why is he being chauferred around town in a gas guzzing, low mileage, bullet proof HUMMER!! Why doesn't he have a Volt bullet proofed and be chauferred around in that! IT is alternative energy, high mileage, low fuel...all is is preaching for us to do..... He is nothing but a "do as I say, not as I do" person.

The assumption put forth by the politician is that if the oil major can produce 'hydro-carbon' locally, then the price of gasoline in domestic gas station will be lower is hypothetically feasible only in a world where there is no global trade and competition between nations. In a real market driven world, company will try to sell their product; as in this case - hydrocarbon to the higher bidder/ refiner. It won't make much of a different whether the crude oil is produced in Texas, Canada, or Saudi Arabia by Exxon or BP. The formula for the oil price determination in the market is a lot more complex than just where the crude oil is explored and produce, politician who claim that if oil produce locally, then automatically the price at the gas station will come down is only good for the campaign trail political rhetoric, not in a face of reality. Base on the claims by the politician, obviously If BP can produce oil in British Isle, or Exxon can find oil deep down in Texas, they are going to give discount to the U.S refiners or just lower their gasoline selling price to the cheapestway, or way below global market price for the sake of the consumers, it is just too simplistic in the eye of the politician. As you know, scenario like this can only happen in your wildest dream at night time. Many time i can only smile whenever i heard about politician talk about how cheap the gasoline price is going to be locally if oil major are given free hand to explore every inches of the land and sea across the country without regulation and condition imposed; that is the most enjoyable moment during my entire day.

We are experiencing high energy cost right now, at this before summer time. The price just steadily going up, and the only solution, as advised by our government and all other smart experts, change a fuel - efficient vehicle. But we can't afford it now, so what is the better solution here? I don't know whether Obama is slick or he is stupid, I just concern about when we reached the summer time, the gasoline price will be more than $5 per gallon.

No, Americans are as smart as anyone else, basically (I am talking about individuals). As a country (or collectively) the rest of the world sees Americans as being somewhat naive, obsessed with or convinced of their own 'supremacy' and actually very ignorant about the 'rest of the world' (the MANY jokes made about Americans believing that 'Europe' or 'Paris' is a small town in Kansas - or wherever - are rather too close to the truth to be ignored) . You (I don't mean 'you' personally, of course) are too much led by your media and by your belief that America is the bravest and best country in the world and stands for everything that is 'good' in the world. When he was first elected, we thought that Obama was going to be someone who would bring America into 'the rest of the world'. To a certain extent, he was ... (though he is actually rather gauche and proved that he doesn't really understand how to relate to other people at all). It is a bit of an embarrassment, to be honest, that he was awarded that Nobel prize. None of us really understand it and it must, inevitably, reflect on the whole 'Nobel Peace Prize' system. Don't get me wrong: Obama (and his wife) is OK but he's not really someone you want to represent your country, is he? He's a nice enough guy but is really rather ordinary and doesn't have the 'oomph' to get his moderately good ideas (from the rest of the world's point of view) across. Well, it's perhaps not entirely his fault. He was elected (by Americans) as the 'head' of a system which is really reactionary. It really does appear to us (as 'the rest of the world') that America is actually ruled by corporations, large businesses with money and also by some very small and reactionary groups which have far more influence than they ought to have. The 'rest of the world' sees the prices that YOU pay for the gas in your tanks as VASTLY under-taxed (under-priced). Most of us pay twice or three times the amount per gallon (there are people who pay less, but they tend to be countries who produce the oil and don't need to buy it). Fossil fuel WILL run out ... or it will become too expensive to extract or to buy. Oil is simply 'fossilised algae', so what is so wrong with 'scum in your tank'? It doesn't really matter whether we rely on a million years or so of 'natural processes' to turn it into oil or whether we can learn to turn algae into oil in a year. If it requires investment and research, then (as long as it's controlled and responsible) that is what's essential. If you don't like to spend money on research and development of renewable resources, then you have to accept that it will never become any cheaper to drive your car to the market or top heat your home or to log on to the Internet. The sooner America realises that they are actually only quite a small part of this world, the more they will be respected and the less people will see them as the humorous, strutting, adolescent cockscombs which they too often earn the reputation of being by their actions and words.

I think a big part is...nobody has to use their brains anymore. We dont' have eto think anymore. Everything is done for us. We dont' have to use our imagenations as with TV...it's all done for us. But when it was just radio...you could listen to a story and imagen how it is all going etc. Hand held devices these days...does anyone read a book anymore? Play a board game? Write a letter? Only thing you need these days to play a game is your thumbs, press a button, scroll down. Even a car will remind you or tell you what to do and even parallel park for you! Education is all about "politically correctness". Here they are teaching about "the birds and the bees" in first grade...but kids are graduating high school with not much more than an 8th grade education. If you dont use it...you loose it. Don't use your brain and thought process...you will loose your ability to do things. And when you loose your brain...all talents go down the drain. But..these days..no one has to think much. Cash registers make change so we dont' add or subtract. Good grief....we don't even have to open the door ourselves when entering a store!!! I think people are being taught to be stupid these days. That is the way the government likes it. That way they can do what they want to do and no one will fight it.

I don't think so.Just some of them are like that!

I think people are stupid who vote against their own interests. I think the reason so many people vote against their own interest is because they lie to themselves. If you can't be honest with yourself, how do you ever expect to improve your life. As far as this oil problem, this is they way they have done it for decades. It not just Obama. Even if we tapped every resource on land and in the ocean we would not have enough oil for ourselves. Plus the price would not go down that much, its because the system is rigged and their is no energy that can really compete with oil right now. Then you have all the fat cats sitting on Wall Street betting on high oil prices for the future so they can get paid at the expense of the average working American. If people would only direct their anger in the right way at the right people or groups. We might be able to fix some of these problems and keep future problems like this from happening. You have to remember this is all about money and that is all these people care about. That is how they stay in power and can force these bad policies that never seem to end that hurts the country overall. Yet they get to live this glamorous life. Even when they do pass some good policies, they get made out to be bad by straight propaganda. Then if people in congress want to get elected or reelected they have to overturn these policies. It is just the cycle of this country and obviously no one wants these things to change. We say we do, but we are just a greedy society and no one wants to do anything that will conflict with their lifestyle. Hell, maybe we should just stop trying to change things let the rich and politicians have their way. Let the middle class all drop to being poor. The reason I say this is because if we get enough poor people who have nothing to loose, then maybe the American people will finally fight back.