Washington Post editorial says that members of government can take an important step towards reducing our dependency on foreign oil by making a tough political decision — increasing our federal fuel tax and creating more incentives to conserve energy.

In Congressional races across Minnesota and Colorado, high gas prices is the number one issue, and political candidates are looking for easy scapegoats and easier solutions — but few find time to talk about the need for conservation and long-term reform. (New York Times — Kirk Johnson and Monica Davey)

Facing increased political pressure on offshore drilling, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced on Saturday that Congress will vote next month on whether to lift the ban on new offshore drilling — a decision that could potentially have enormous environmental impacts while doing nothing to curb high gas prices. (Christian Science Monitor — Gail Russell Chaddock)

Falling fuel costs have given Americans some temporary relief near the end of a painful summer, but many experts say that our energy problems — and the high gas prices that come along with them — are here to stay. (Arizona Republic — Ryan Randazzo)

Pointing to escalating support for new offshore drilling and a drop in concern for global warming as a national priority, The Politico‘s Erika Lovely paints politicians and activists as being divided on how to simultaneously address climate change and energy issues.

The presidential campaign is heating up and calls for new offshore drilling are growing louder, but the New York Times‘ Bob Herbert points out the obvious problem with all the rhetoric — drilling is not going to do anything for America’s current gas crisis.

While recent drops in the price of oil — largely attributable to reduced demand — have temporarily placated many consumers, commentator Andy Singh says that Americans shouldn’t grow complacent and return to their old habits. (Seeking Alpha)

Despite recent dips in the cost of fuel, energy experts are predicting a long, expensive winter for residents in the Northeast, who will be keeping their homes warm with natural gas or heating oil. (New York Times — Jad Mouawad)

Edward Glaeser injects a dose of reality into the energy debate, and says the government should stay away from artificially reducing the price of fuel through its tax policy. (Boston Globe)

The New York Times‘ Paul Krugman says the debate over offshore drilling is the tip of the iceberg for a much bigger issue — our level of commitment to halting climate change and saving the planet.