Environmentalists hope to seize the expensive energy moment

After decades of failed attempts to wean the United States off its dependence on oil, environmental groups are crossing their fingers that rising oil and gasoline prices and unrest in key oil states will lead to significant policy changes. “What we’re seeing now is a perfect storm,” said Bob Deans, federal communications director for the Natural Resources Defense Council. “We have warships off Libya, we have soaring gas prices gouging America’s families and we have oil in the Gulf of Mexico.” Environmental groups pointed to remarks by President Obama Friday on rising gas prices as a sign that momentum is building to address the country’s oil dependence head on. Obama called for domestic oil and gas production in the short-term, but said, “We've got to make our economy more energy-efficient and energy-independent over the long run.” But every president since Richard Nixon has made similar pronouncements and little has changed...more

Obama needs prices to fall in the short run - for his re-election - and then rise again for an all out green agenda for his second term. Let's see if he can pull it off.