Reply #49: You are such a pessimist.

[Untermonkey]

You do realize, don't you, that the ONLY reason the oil companies made such enormous profits is because SOMEONE bought all of that oil? Our society, as a whole, has become addicted to cheap oil and the lifestyle it provides. Los Angeles is the mother of all examples, with it's sprawling suburbs and massive freeway system. Mass transit can, and does, work all over the world and when it becomes too expensive for Americans to drive their 14 mpg SUVs and pickups they'll either buy more fuel efficient cars OR some entrepreneur will come up with an alternative fuel OR another entrepreneur will make mass transit a better alternative.

People are people, regardless of their political leanings and they will take the path of least resistance which, at this point in time, is driving their gas burning vehicles for tens or hundreds of miles each day carrying only one person. That's what our society has chosen and that's what we'll continue to choose until something better comes along.

I challenge you, instead of complaining about oil company profits and demanding that "someone" do something about it, that YOU do something about it. If you don't like the situation as it is you can either bitch and moan OR you can take steps to change the situation.