Phantom Menace

The Senate voted Tuesday to move ahead with a Democratic plan to curb speculation in oil markets that has been blamed for some of the recent run-up in oil prices.

Well, that's one idea to deal with high prices, but I have a better one. Those guys up in Washington control the mint. Why not print up some more money and send everyone a million dollars? Then we could all easily afford to buy gas.

PS In more serious news, this is from further down in the article:

To a remarkable degree, the energy debate has been dominated by the question of whether to open up more Outer Continental Shelf waters to oil exploration.

Why is this debate "remarkable"? Drilling is 1) controversial, 2) partisan and 3) one of the few solutions being discussed that would actually make a difference.

(The article continues--and remember, this is the AP, not an editorial:

For Republicans, the drilling question is one of the few issues where they have an edge with voters, and they're pressing it to the hilt. Even though new offshore leases wouldn't deliver oil to the marketplace for a decade or so, some Republicans say simply opening up new coastal areas to exploration would lower prices now.)