Another Gas Solution

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-oil14-2008may14,0,6063899.story

Senate reacted to the gas prices with another solution today, one that goes against President Bush. They voted almost unanimously to stop filling the underground petroleum reserve. So much of the majority voted to stop the deliveries, that it is impossible for Bush to veto their decision. All of the presidential candidates were for this decision. Senator Byron Dorgan said, "Why on earth should we be putting oil underground at a time of record high prices?" The reserve was established in 1973 after the Arab oil embargo; it is to protect us in case of a supply cutoff. The reserve now holds approximately 702 million barrels in the underground caverns. Bush claims that the 70,000 barrels that are delivered to the emergency stockpile each day have little impact on the 21 million barrels that our nation uses each day. He claims that such a small impact for the nation's security is worth it. Suspending deliveries to the reserve could save motorists 2 to 5 cents a gallon, maybe more. I think that it is good that they are suspending the reserve, but I am just a little nervous that this is just another scam to make it seem like they are doing something about gas prices, when really it is just a quick fix. Plus, 2-5 cents does not sound like much to me. I don't really understand the whole reserve thing anyway, it says we have 702 million barrels and that we use 21 million a day.....so wouldn't that emergency reserve only last us for like 33 days? Not much of a supply if we are cut off, since I am sure a cut off would last longer than that. Everyone just seems to be fighting over what to do and it all just seems like bull shit because we are trying to reserve, stop reserves, cut taxes, etc when in the end it is all the same - we use too much gas, are running out, and it's too expensive. Not that I have a solution to it, but it is getting kind of old hearing all the politicians fighting over little fixes that don't really solve anything. Those up for reelection wan to support anything to make it look like they are doing something about the problem, and those that are not up for reelection--like Bush--don't care what the people want. Between this and the gas tax holiday, I feel like nothing real is getting done; we are just getting our hopes up with these plans, only to discover they will really only save us a few cents per gallon, or $30 all summer. I would love for someone to come for a real plan, to either cut the costs. Or we should really start focusing on coming up with fuel-efficient options, because sooner or later all this bickering won't matter when the oil runs out.