Why America consumes so much oil?
84496
I think it's because if you look at the size of the United States compared to European countries, it is just larger.  \n\nAlso, people in the United States travel farther to go to work then people on other countries do.    \n\nAdd SUV's and other gas guzzling cars into the mix and you've got high oil consumption.\n\nThe solution for the United States is to use something completely different then oil to fuel our cars.
251487
I do agree.  The presence of oil in the middle east has propped up medieval autocratic governments that would have otherwise fallen by the wayside.  The petro-dollars have given these government the means to basically bribe their populations without really serving them.  While some middle-easterners are ridiculously rich, the majority are in abject poverty (that is why Islamic radicalism is becoming so popular).  If you look, you will see that the radical Muslim movements are the most popular in the countries that are trying the hardest to restrict their people.
306206
The  current largest shares of US oil imports come from Mexico (1.77 Mil Barrels per day), Canada(1.74), and Saudi Arabia(1.48).\nIn 2001 it was Canada (1.79, Saudi Arabia (1.66), and Venezuela (1.54).
424086
Lifestyles in the industrialized world revolve around fossil fuels--including oil, coal, and natural gas. For oil alone, according to U.S. government figures, the world consumes over 80 million barrels per day, with the U.S. accounting for roughly a quarter of that total. \nhttp://us.oneworld.net/article/view/115387/1/795
247007
It's not just the "Right" addiction to oil. It's the whole country that needs it. Race, Creed Gender, or Religion really doesn't matter. Everyone depends on it. As far as the Gulf, the director of FEMA was the first to admit he had no clue what he was doing. Another Bush Blunder that cost yet more lives, and can't admit when he's wrong.
334707
No, it only gets bigger every day.\n\nIn relation to the US's moral superiority and credibity- those are fading, but that has little to do with being a superpower- USSR had neither, but had as large or larger impact on the world than the US for a long time.\n\nEconomic influence- while our % of oil consumption is decreasing in relation to the whole world, we are still the biggest consumers of oil and everything else worldwide.  That for a country which is only 5% of the worlds population.  Everyone needs to to business with the US.  This is why we will never have real trouble with China, BTW-- they need us to buy things.\n\nMilitary- We are unmatched.  Whenever NATO or the UN decides to do anything, US always carries the lions share of the burden.  The world won't act on anything without us doing most of the work.  Unfortunately that is why we get Rwandas, Bosnias and Somalias-- when we don't get out butt in gear, the rest of the world sits around whining about why the US won't do anything.\n\nPolitics- sucks everywhere. Ours still has more influence because of the two reasons above.\n\nImage- Probably not so great.. all the other countries think we should do things differently.. but again, most of them don't do anything.
200251
Because oil means much more to them than soil.
577939
To tell the truth, we americans are all , what you might say, "Spoiled". We have had plenty of everything, including Gasoline, for so long we just can't see ourselves doing with less than usuall. True if we would realize our consumption and deal with it before it is a have-to case, we would be better prepsred for the future. But America is not like that, we have plenty so we use it and when we don't get enought, we look for somebody to be in fault.
964603
because bush wants their oil
207908
oil is scarce.  oil is used to make oil, gasoline, plastic, etc.  If it werent scarce it would be cheaper.
572222
We use alot more here on Earth.  In fact Americans use way more water then any other nationality.
1015526
There is no agreement on how much oil there is. Therefore, 'peak oil' is a meaningless concept.  Besides, the US media is only interested in attacking their political opponents.  They couldn't care less about facts.
1039478
Because we enjoy using their oil.
475568
I think that most Americans have stopped buying "unnecessary" fuel, but they are making more than enough money back off of just the necessary fuel (fuel that is needed for daily life, not all of us can walk to work/carpool)... if you have to have it, you have to have it... cuting consumption further isn't an option for most...\n\nSo what happens when capitiolism fails... seems like we are reaching that point with oil... increasing costs could have a crippling effect on our economy through inflation (especially if costs continue to go up)... is it worth it?\n\nThe reserves should have been released a while back... that's just silly, but that's also a Bush...
286834
No. There was just lots of oil that a "few" Americans wanted.
717124
Oil and other natural resources valuble to the US
1152081
global oil conglomerates aka the cookie monster, greed at it's most BASIC element.  The internal combustion engine has been obsolete since the 1950s.  Oil companies this year have set record profits, so much so  that the US government is  trying to figure out what to do about it.  Renewable energies equates to no profits these companies will sooner shove oil down our throats(WW III) rather than to allow renewable energies to become main stream.  Look for the US government to lead the world into a global government!!!!!