With respect to "the biggest single-day price drop in 17 years' ...I think you are overlooking that it was preceded by the largest increase in history, and within a very short period of time. No, I do not think that the resulting drop in the price of gasoline from $4.39 to $4.26 per gallon is an appreciable decline.

The speculators are the "latest scapegoats" of whom?  I am sure that you will point your finger at the democrats, the communists, the socialists or whoever else is in sight ...oh, you forgot the "Munchkins"... because as you constantly preach to us your "party of reform" can do no wrong.

If as you say speculators are not contributors to the pricing problem...I hardly think that there would be a movement to regulate how they participate in the commodities market.

"Factors generating speculation" , but not speculators are the cause of the elevated prices? Don't be ridiculous. The factors and the speculators are opposite sides of the same coin. If the factors are present the speculators invest. The demand drives the price up, and more speculators participate further fueling a price spike.

Turning government loose in the marketplace? The SEC is already in the marketplace...has been as a result of the depression in the l930's. Oil is a limited resource. Eventually it is going to become exhausted regardless of the price.  We would be well advised to explore alternate sources of energy before that day arrives.