[Paul Ross]

At today's prices - 70 trillion dollars.

The U.S. government would have to capture all that oil value without any costs. I.e., it would have to do the production and distribution, etc.

The Federal Government is generally not known for such total efficiency as its forte'.

[badgerlandjim]

The U.S. government would have to capture all that oil value without any costs. I.e., it would have to do the production and distribution, etc. The Federal Government is generally not known for such total efficiency as its forte'.

No problem. The government will just legislate the oil companies into extracting the oil at the government's price. There. All solved. heehee