I agree with you Robert -- Nationalization of the major public oils will likely become a serious topic. I'm not sure if it will be huge prices or real shortages that drive it to the forefront though. If we want to offer ideas in this thread it would be beneficial for folks to define exactly what they mean. “Nationalization” it self is at best ambiguous and at worst meaningless. I think any practical (and achievable) response to the worst effects of PO will require some form of significant involvement of the gov’t in the free market system IMO. But I doubt taking ownership of the companies would ever be a serious. olks upset about pump prices might fantasize about such possibilities but it’s good to remember that ExxonMobil isn’t owned by Mr. XOM. It’s owned by the American people. Destroying trillions of $’s of the retirement accounts of citizenship, including many union members won’t happen IMO.

But I do believe there has to be some sort of coordinated efforts between the private sector and the gov’t. I can’t see any real progress on any front given the volatility we’ve seen in the market. A few months ago low oil prices killed much of the incentives for alternatives. Even with prices climbing I doubt much capital will be funneled that way without some certainty that those prices will stay elevated for many years. I personally haven’t been able to come up with any model that is politically doable. Maybe some of the clever folks here have some ideas worth sharing