Published: May 21, 2008 09:46 am         

Other View: Aiming low on energy

When the average price of regular unleaded gasoline nationwide hit a new high of $3.73 a gallon, Congress voted to order President Bush to stop buying oil for the nation's Strategic Petroleum Reserve. The most charitable interpretation is that members of Congress feel our pain and want to do something about it.

A more realistic view is that, having failed for years to develop an effective energy policy, Congress is panicked at the prospect of facing an angry electorate. ...

When it comes to energy policy, the electorate has reason to be angry, but not about the petroleum reserve. It's about the failure of Congress and the administration to enact conservation policies that could make a real difference in supply and demand.

Now that Democrats and Republicans have made common cause on a measure of little impact, they should get busy developing an energy policy that will help to secure America's future.

-- Miami Herald