I guess I surprised some people in recent days when they asked me when Congress would act on high oil and gasoline prices.  My answer was not anytime soon.

Congress bashed oil executives when gasoline hit $2/gallon, when it hit $3/gallon and now at $4/gallon.  All the while, both parties pointed the finger of blame on who should do what to reduce US dependence on foreign oil.

My point is that both parties are stuck in their partisan corners, reluctant to embrace the ideas of the other party on energy development.

From my years of watching the Congress, this is one of those issues where little will get done until both parties decide to compromise - and not just a little - but a lot.

It will mean that Democrats will have to quit blaming Big Oil for everything under the sun and Republicans will have to quit blaming Tree-Hugging Enviromentalists as well.

It will mean that Democrats will have to embrace the idea of expanded areas for domestic oil and gas exploration.  It will mean that Republicans will have to do more than say they're for expanded alternative fuels programs, wind power, solar and more.

Nobody gets everything they want legislatively, and Energy Policy is no different.  At some point, a Grand Bargain will be necessary, where both sides get something they want, in order to help the nation deal with rising energy prices.

When will that happen?  Only when the Sky is Falling.  Will that be $5/gallon?  Probably not.   I bet it will have to get even higher and cause some real economic hardship before both sides are really ready to cut a deal.

This evaluation of the political situation on energy did not please some of my readers and listeners, who pointed the finger of blame at me.

"I get really concerned about your negative liberal stuff on the "big Oil" situation," read one email.   "Do you know that a little positive help from pundits like yourselves might help."

Basically, Republicans believe that environmental groups are forcing Democrats to block everything the GOP wants to do and Democrats believe that Republicans in Congress are nothing more than a bunch of suck-ups to Big Oil.

"The green lobby is one of the most powerful in DC and Dems can get nowhere without 'em," wrote listener Jay Malloy, making it clear he thinks that environmental groups are the impediment to energy solutions in the US.

Meanwhile Democrats say Big Oil is the Big Problem.

"This is an exercise in futility," fumed Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) as she questioned oil executives on Thursday, unable to get the answers she wanted out of them.

Like I said, this debate has been so polarized for years, that no one is talking about bi partisan solutions, just about the solutions that each side wants.  Compromise has become when you give in to me and I get everything that I want.

When I started reporting on Capitol Hill during the Reagan Administration, I did some work for Alaska Public Radio.  One of my usual stories back then were the efforts in the Congress to open up the area known as ANWR (Arctic National Wildlife Refuge) to drilling.

I'm still doing that story over 20 years later.  Since then, both parties have held the White House and the Congress.  Both parties have had the chance to lead.  Both parties have had the chance to cut true bi-partisan compromises.

But both sides also love to demagogue.  Big Oil is an easy target.  So are the environmental groups.  It's easy to blame the lack of action, the higher prices and more on them.

Est modus in rebus.