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Energy

How to Ease Pain at the Pump Without Deepening Oil Dependence

As the drumbeat for domestic drilling grows louder, can the Democratic leadership come up with a better alternative than tapping the Strategic Petroleum Reserve? Over at the Huffington Post, Shelley Poticha and Geoff Anderson of Transportation for America propose a few ideas that will actually pay dividends. Pols who are serious about reducing the impact of high gas prices should listen up:

We have tokeep pace with demands for public transportation, and give this countrya reason to be proud of its high-speed trains, light-rail lines, andboth rapid and conventional bus transportation options.

We need to make more of our streets safe and convenient for walkingand biking to work, school, shops and public transportation stops. Wehave to create incentives for developers to invest in our close-insuburbs and urban centers, to meet the huge demand for affordable homesin convenient locations. Americans are not dumb: given the real choice,we would much rather invest in well-located real estate than ingasoline.

We are tired of feeling like victims -- whether of oil companies, poorplanning, or a lack of vision. Americans are ready for innovativechange, if only our leaders will follow the people's charge.

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