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What, exactly, is a "bipartisan" energy policy?

These remedies are to be found in both supply and demand – and both Democrats and Republicans need to demonstrate their command of this fact. [...]

To Democrats:

Your claim that any oil we drill for now will not come on line for five years or longer – and will thus have no effect on prices today – is incorrect. Unlike past oil crises, where the spot price of oil (that is, today's price) rose more than forward prices, the oil price for delivery in 2012 is trading at $138 per barrel. The market is sending a clear price signal that our problem is in the future – because we do not have the will to curb demand or increase supply. [...]

As forward prices decline, watch how quickly the spot price comes down.

To Republicans:

A more accurate metaphor is the global energy market as a giant bath tub where more withdrawals (Chinese and Indian) are being made every day. The only consistent new supply to that tub is coming from periodically unstable and unfriendly places (Nigeria, Russia, Iran, Venezuela).

That last sentence should tell us something about the finger-wagging aimed at Democrats that came before it, no? We can try to wring the shale out of the Rockies or advance straws 20,000 leagues under the sea to get to the magic pony of the gazillions of gallons of milkshake we might theoretically have down there, but when it comes to quickly soothing our need there's no better place to go to than the pushers and dealers down in the seedy part of town. Who, by the way, aren't able to supply us like they once used to because they're drying up slowly.

That's not to say that some of the crap cannot be cut: we can probably begin to face the fact that there will be more domestic drilling at the end of the next President's term than at the beginning--will that happen in ANWR? who knows, but we will see more domestic production generally. Oil at $140.- a barrel and above will make it feasible to explore some of the more difficult areas and the public will increasingly demand it.

But the fact remains that Republicans will never be able to let go of their free-market fetishism unless a major purging of their party occurs. So, we can move forward into the reality of increased domestic production with irrational, alarmist Gowd wants 'Murcans to drahv Hummers alone from desolate suburbs 40 miles away from their work and the Demonocrats won't let us DRILL DRILL DRILL™ politicians in office; or we can go with a party that advocates a slightly slower approach to drilling, but doesn't cower in fear of the socialist bogey-[or shall we say "straw"]-man when it comes to some relatively straight-forward solutions. Like improving infrastructure--everything from smarter traffic signals in congested areas to increased public transportation to finally providing a dedicated track to AMTRAK's Acela train so it can go the speed that taxpayers paid for years ago. And providing government advice and assistance to construct walkable, more sustainable communities. And not having knee-jerk what-if-the-wind-stops-blowing reactions to improved technologies. And...well, we all know from the last 7+ years.