We are past the talking stages. We have stopped the decline in production and have started increasing the total US production rate, mostly due to increases from Texas and North Dakota.
and for many other reasons, the arab oil states can turn up/down the flow and more or less make our production in the CONUS unprofitable/undesirable whenever they desire.
They would have the discipline to keep it low for an extended period of time, assuming they have the ability to produce that much oil, plus they would need the coordinated discipline to hold the price low for quite a long time. I don't believe they have much more than the ability to handle short term swings.
and we really seem to be unable to really make 'drill here, drill now' either business or politically appatizing...
True on Federal land and water, but on private land in states that want the business, we are going gang-busters in drilling right now.
North American Rig Report for 2/24/2012 (historical charting)
http://files.shareholder.com/downloads/BHI/1713657606x0x545359/2114654C-6275-498F-9AEB-2A755005C9B0/na_charts_022412.pdf
thats not even addressing refining capacity that appears to be declining and increasingly subject to the whims of weather in the gulf...
Refinery capacity has increased a great deal over the years due to upgrades and expansions of existing refineries. We now refine more product than our country consumes making us a net exporter of refined product (while still importing a lot of crude oil).
And refining has rarely had any lasting weather impacts of magnitude. I believe you are thinking of Gulf of Mexico Offshore oil production.
what can/should be done ???
Educate yourself on reality and learn to use the shift key to capitalize and not look like a texting teenager.