"Crude Awakening " by Kevin Drum:

"Any serious policy solution has to be based on four fundamental pillars: increased production, development of alternative fuels, conservation, and increased efficiency. And because these are all very long lead items, the time to start is now. After all, if the peak oil theorists are right, we have only a few years left until oil production peaks and then starts to decline. But even if they're wrong, the peak is still only 10 or 20 years down the road—and instability induced by spare capacity is a looming problem regardless."

Scary stuff. Long-term looks at the oil crisis are hampered by the lack of leadership/fear. The other long-term problem, climate change, is another issue that needs a thorough look.