Originally Posted by sac-a-lait

You cannot control the price of oil by simply not using it. Oil used as a basic starting material for virtually everything we consume not just gasoline! The reduced demand just means OPEC will produce LESS to keep the oil price where ever they want it. Too high and they drive the world into recession/ depression. They don’t want that either because consumption will drop. Too low and their profits drop — so they cut back. The point is the WANT CONTROL. That’s their bargaining chip. This maintains their global political control since by shutting off oil flow they can in effect successfully hold the world hostage as world ecomomies fall into recession or worse. Russia has now joined as a major oil producer. They look at us as fools for not developing our energy sources right here at home !! They WILL take advantage of our stupidity.