I actually think hybrids work, but I don't need them to argue for "preparedness."

This president has definitely done a lot to increase the former. Deficits increase money supply (increased money supply is inflation,) and in this case the money mostly flows in from overseas.

Price inflation is also probably significantly understated. There is substitution and health care is weighed at 6% rather than it's real cost of 3 times that.

Since Bush supporters have laid so much stress on the "Bush economic miracle" and mocked legitimate concerns (look at Kudlow sometime for the the rah rah) this administration is going to get hit if the economy goes south.

Reappointing "Bubbles" Greenspan was also the president's responsibility and will prove to be a mistake if real estate crashes. Even while interest rates have increased the fed increases money supply and now proposes to stop reporting M3.

And even without that stipulation, it doesn't add up. Explain to me, for example how a hybrid drive will work for this situation.

The bottom line, is, it can't.

The message? Quit trying to mandate gas milage. It doesn't work, and ends up costing us more than we save.

Of course, there probably was a technological limit. We might have moved from a 20 mpg fleet average to maybe 30 mpg on average. That would mean that the average person would be getting 50% less bite from the higher prices.

There are some neat technologies for energy efficiency, but they don't market well. It's too bad, because the later in the game the harder it is to make an impact.