[Doodle]

A novel idea: let's let the market decide. If we are really running out of oil (as has been incorrectly predicted since we first started pumping it), then prices will rise until alternatives become economic without government fiat or subsidies.

[cogitator]

then prices will rise until alternatives become economic without government fiat or subsidies.

If only the market decides, there could be a rather painful gap between the period when fossil fuel energy sources get very expensive and less-expensive alternatives become widely available. And fossil fuel energy sources are under constant threaten to become very expensive with little warning (remember Hurricane Katrina and those Islamic nuts running Iran)?

[JamesP81]

A novel idea: let's let the market decide. If we are really running out of oil (as has been incorrectly predicted since we first started pumping it), then prices will rise until alternatives become economic without government fiat or subsidies.

Normally this would be fine, but we have national security issues to worry about as well, not just economic issues.

[JeffersonRepublic.com]

"A novel idea: let's let the market decide. If we are really running out of oil (as has been incorrectly predicted since we first started pumping it), then prices will rise until alternatives become economic without government fiat or subsidies."

Your "novel idea" is a joke. The market doesn't decide... OPEC decides! Right now the price of oil is extremely high. High enough to justify alternatives. The problem is money. Investors can easily be uncut by OPEC dumping oil on the market and driving price down which would make an alternative energy investment too risky.

By sitting back and waiting for the market to decide, we end up pumping America's treasury into the Arab banks.