[hrishi1990]

what's the point of being a production leader? Shouldn't it be left to the free market? The Oil bias is in a sense, hampering innovation in efficiency in oil-consuming machines, notwithstanding effects on other energy sources.

Remember, the great efficiency drive in automobiles started after the Middle East Oil crisis in 1979, if I'm not wrong...

[ihsw]

The point is control -- look no further than the Carter Doctrine to understand the basis of America's foreign policy in the Middle East.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carter_doctrine

It's the reason the US Marines have their own air force -- they don't want someone else second-guessing their decisions.

[nazgulnarsil]

Thank you for making this point. The economically literate see "price controls" and think "oh no, that is inefficient wrt price! This has been proven." But the point of price control isn't prices, it's control.