And by the way Beast, your contentions about oil simply demonstates your ignorance and naivete about this issue. The growing scarcity of this resource is a very large and looming issue for mankind, not just the United States. A recent world conference by leading geologists, scientists and other experts in the field discussed this very issue and in no way was the development of an alternative energy source assured. Optimists were not in the majority. ANY proposed alternative would be far scarcer and more expensive than something you can simply pump out of the ground. The foundation of almost all economic activity would be scarcer and by definition inflation would run rampant while earnings plummeted. Interest rates would sky rocket, investment by corporations would plummet. Think I'm talking out of my ass? This is pretty basic economics. Grab an economics book and try to understand why the Great Depression occured during the 1930's. The fundamental effects of a gradual depletion of fossil fuels on the economy would make the 30's look diminutive in comparison.