The Nati

Too bad the Prius is so damn expensive!

I think $2.30/gallon will look cheap in 5 years for gas. I think we are pumping as hard as possible and demand ain't going down anytime soon. Anything to get H2s (Lowest rated for customer satisfaction by JD Power!) off the road will make me happy!
 

On a slightly unrelated note, there was a great article in today's Wall Street Journal about how Denver's light rail is actually promoting 'core' development all along it's route. Commercial real estate is booming, people are rebuilding neighborhoods, even big-box retailers like Target are forced to conform to street- and pedestrian-friendly development, and not simply sprawl out with parking lots.
 

To hope the price of gas forces changes may be accurate but with the way our government deals with changes could mean folks will suffer a terrible price along the way. Raising gas prices means everything you touch will increase in price. People will be forced to cut back and businesses will suffer. It is my belief that if gas prices were to hit 3-4$ per gallon in a year, we would hit a major recession at a minimum. To expect government reaction with rail transit or other means in any short time frame is a pipe dream. We are already in debt up to our eyeballs. And by the way, the rest of the world is also dependent on oil, especially the emerging countries of China and India. Hell, our government cannot even pass an energy plan for two years. We should have had the oil coming out of the Anwar? area of Alaska now and have a lot more research on alternative fuels. I lived through the last so called oil shortage under Carter and remember the long lines at the pumps. If that did not do it, not sure what will get these bozo's moving in Washington.