Addiction to a finite resource cannot be justified in any way, shape, or form. Now or later, you'll have to give it up. Jump on the bandwagon of the wave of the future, which unfortunately does not, and cannot, include fossil fuels.

What Friedman is endorsing is Gore's idea of "taxing what we burn but not what we earn" -- essentially reducing our income taxes and shifting those taxes to oil consumption. It is a common tactic in public policy to encourage public good (more income for workers/companies) and discourage consumption of products that threaten society (e.g., oil, junk food, cigarettes). In concept, the extra retained income of consumers and corporations could then be used to either stupidly continue burning oil (no net benefit) or shift investments into fuel efficient cars (buying plug-in cars) or technologies (solar panels to charge your plug-in car). The more one conserves on oil, the less one pays in oil taxes, and continues to enjoy the benefits of less taxes on income! Think of it as a Bush "tax relief" plan that is paid for and where the money all doesn't flow to the Mideast for oil or to China for consumer goods!

All of you posters who love to bash Charles Krauthammer need to realize that we don't get to comment on the message boards on Friedman's columns. I agree with the letter writer. The left's darling Thomas Friedman is smart enough to know that "global warming" is a Marxist conspiracy. He actually wants to go along with AL Gore's plan to completely destroy the American economy in ten years? Beautiful!

A Marxist conspiracy? Do you really believe the many scientists believing in global warming are part of a conspiracy?

mmmm.... yes. Environmental scientist = marxist. They're called watermelons: green on the outside red on the inside. 50,000 Physicists (the kind of scientist that actually does math) just released a statement that they don't go along with the "man-made global warming theory"

To 6:40: Sorry, but you are dead wrong. Here is what the American Physical Society really says: "Emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities are changing the atmosphere in ways that affects the Earth's climate. The evidence is incontrovertible. Global Warming is occuring." What you are referring to is a post in an online newletter which was quickly picked up by climate-deniers. The Society was quick to point out that this was not peer-reviewed and did not represent the position of the Society.

I guess they're a bunch of Stalinists too!

6:40

"The American Physical Society reaffirms the following position on climate change, adopted by its governing body, the APS Council, on November 18, 2007:

"Emissions of greenhouse gases from human activities are changing the atmosphere in ways that affect the Earth's climate."

Common sense tells me, Mr. Rammell, that you should do just a little research on your 'common sense' thought about crude oil. You may learn a thing or two about supply exceeding demand and what is forecast for the future. These are not the good old days of yesteryear, but may be the good old days of the future.

Anonymous at 6:40, you can't comment on Friedman on these threads? Why not? You just did.

If Friedman is making neocons clench their teeth, he's doing a good job! Maybe his next column will burst some forehead veins.

@ Mark .... did you see Friedman's column yesterday posted on the DN website so that it could be commented on? I didn't because I would have blasted it

Dude,I really don't think that the D-News is keeping op-eds off it's board so you can't "blast" them.