Weedwacker,
I see your little tirade must be directed towards me personally but since I don't know for sure I will respond to this in general.
From what I've read, which may be taken with a grain of salt depending on which sources you use, it may not be so much a problem of supply of crude product even though OPEC has cut production, but our abilities to refine said product.
Granted, EPA regulations are a joke. The enviromentalists are a royal pain in the a*s, putting the well being of this country and independence from foreign fuel sources behind their own twisted agenda. It's all about control.
I have been in the construction industry for over 25 yrs. so I sure as hell don't need you or anyone else trying to fill me in on the EPA regs. and what a joke they are. I also have dealt with my share of tree-huggers over the years so we won't even go there but it does brighten my day to be told those trees stay as we bulldoze them into oblivion.
The basic point I am making is that there are ways to comply with or get around existing regs. Yes, it may cost a few bucks but it can be done. Has there been a new law added to the books that I wasn't aware of that states "there will be no new refineries built, ever." I don't think so.
Are oil companies willing to spend the time and money to try to comply with or change said regs. so new refineries can be built? Not that I've heard of. Why would they. The perfect cop-out. "We can't refine any more." Waaaahhhhhh. Seems a little strange, even though the costs of those new refineries would be paid for by the consumer in the end, no one seems to be making an effort. Just like you stated yourself " they just sit there making the same amount of gas, raking it in." Illegal? Hardly. Collusion. Hmmm. I would welcome the attempt to get new refineries online. Do you realize the amount of work that they would make available to the American public, from the guys in my business to the refinery workers themselves? What a boost to the economy that would be!
I've also been waiting on the natural gas pipeline off the North Shore that was talked about in the mid to late 80's. A man can make some mucho dinero on that kind of job, but to no avail. The ANWR looked promising at first but we'll have to wait and see.A lot will have to change.
Myself, I haven't been bitching a whole lot about the price of fuel. Why get upset over things I can't control. Life is too short.
I also see you have used the term "you" quite often in your post. I will take it as a generalization of the people you despise and not towards me personally, especially since I don't know you personally.
And yes, going to bed does sound like a good idea. Seems like someone missed their nap. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif
And just to make it clear, only my wife tells me to shut up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
Cro-mag