Gas price outrage over Obama’s Energy Policies, No? Lets compare Gas Prices under Bush

Every-time there is spikes in Oil prices, folks call for using resources from our Strategic Oil Reserve. While you are right, oil prices would drift down temporarily, the Reserve is there for national emergencies not price relief. If I remember correctly the Department of Energy has about 31 days of reserve at current consumption levels. The rebound price would probably swing higher following it's depletion.

The Obama administration has it right, it is premature to use the SPR at this point. While I know most folks on Current are progressive, I am an advocate of tapping our own natural resources. At the same time, working diligently on renewable energy and conservation.

My Father-in-Law owns a green tech company and he produces air conditioning systems called reverse cycle chillers that don't use refrigerant http://www.aquaproducts.us/ we think a conservative is supposed to be interested in conservation.

Reliance on the Middle east for resources is a foreign policy nightmare.

You are absolutely correct. The Graph only compares the same time frame for both Presidents. Keep in mind that during President Bush's first 2 years there were several national events that affected oil prices. In President Obama;s behalf, most of what is going on was driven by the State Department before he took office and he did not "chose" for these events to take place.

I think the issue is, that oil exploration should continue as a contingency until renewable energy is completely viable and economical. Forcing the nation to innovate by restricting natural resource exploration is not a good policy decision.

Yes, that would lead to a crash.
A hard one.

Refer to the Long Emergency.

There is the real picture of where we are at. Just at the point of 9/11/2001 oil prices dropped to their lowest point in the bush administration, but since that oil increased at almost an exponential rate. Then the bottom fell out in late 2008 and prices fell to less than $40/ barrel. Demand didn't drive that drop, neither did supply, the problem must be driven by speculation and crude oil commodities trading. The true culprit seems to be when the rich have too much money on their hands they buy up what we all need then drive up the price.

You may have a valid point. Every day oil is kept in the ground in America, its value increases to offset a falling dollar.

Britain tapped out the north sea oil and sold it for less than $2o a barrel in the day.
I would have saved it in the ground if I could buy it from the Arabs at that price.