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"You just can't charge the consumer anything you want," said Riordan. "So I believe there has to be regulation on the consumer end. I don't believe you need it on the other end."

That's exactly what got us into the mess in the first place. Consumer rates were fixed while wholesale rates could grow to the sky. The result: utilities forced to sell power at a loss, so they went belly-up. Riordan, if you're elected, you'll be Gray Davis redux.

Riordan, if you're elected, you'll be Gray Davis redux.

Worse. He will not only be pro-abort, pro-spending, anti-taxcutting, and liberal in the worst way, but he will control the Republican Party of California, which has been in disarray since Pete Wilson went down in self-inflicted flames. If he were elected governor, God forbid, he would be unstoppable. That's all we need: Riordan in control of the Republican Party for the foreseeable future in the most important state in the Union. It would be like Rockefeller in New York, only worse.

----and they are always talking about centralised more or less monopoly power when they speak of "power" . On the consumer side, home produced power in all of it's forms has been steadily dropping in price in terms of real dollars to juice. And, you can actually get a no B.S. carved in stone fixed price for it as well. It's still expensive, but if you set off on that route, even just starting with a very modest daily use/backup system, you'll at least have the peace of mind that you will own and get to use some amount of juice no matter what the outcome of the government squabbling with business is. Insurance in a practical form.

I am skeptical that any arrangement for the centralised power is going to satisfy everyone totally. By arrangement I mean whatever "formula" they come up with that continues the delivery of grid power via private producers and government and middle man traders. My best guess and understanding is that demand will continue to outstrip supply in most areas of the nation, so I would guess based on that that over-all prices will have to rise. And it's such a variable that I honestly don't think the actual numbers can really be predicted adequately. The upcoming next decades demand for natural gas, and into not just electric production-which is a projected huge increase- but as fuel cells become used in transportation and other areas, will keep that demand steady.

About the only thing that would seriously reduce demand for domestic electricty and natural gas is if the nation continues to ship manufacturing overseas. Of course, that continues the problem of what do you do with displaced workers then. Although the teevee continues to comment on the "recovery is just around the corner", for many millions of 'real" people this is not true, it is actually quite bleak for them...... I guess that will drop demand a little.....