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In 1981, the U.S. had 324 refineries. In 2007, it had 149 | 10 tough questions on oil and gas prices ASK THIS For starters, Joseph Davis asks: Why is Congress so passive on the lack of refining capacity? What about probes into price manipulation? The House passed a bill on price gouging; who’s holding it up in the Senate? 
A $1 bagel? | The farm bill and the food crisis ASK THIS What with soaring prices, shortages of staples and energy concerns, this year’s farm bill, now in conference, could have major national and international ramifications.
The latest in Pentagon propaganda | A 7,600-word disappearing act ASK THIS The New York Times ran a story on a highly questionable Pentagon program in which retired military leaders tried to manipulate public opinion in favor of the Iraq war. A story like that should have legs. So what happened to it?
A historic turning point? | What will the next president do about global warming? ASK THIS McCain, Clinton, Obama all back a cap-and-trade program, something Bush rejected early on. Reporters should now ask the candidates how they would follow through on their campaign pledges.
Questions for House and Senate leaders | Are new Air Force ads a political statement? ASK THIS The Air Force, seeking to more than double its advertising budget, has new ads that focus on threats to America. In this election year, aren’t such ads a way of offering political support to Republicans over Democrats?
The folly of war | Iran is an opportunity, not a target ASK THIS Longtime New York Times foreign correspondent Stephen Kinzer writes that a better understanding of Iran's history exposes the folly of pre-emptive military action. By contrast, negotiations offer tantalizing possibilities.
Who gets what? | Is the spectrum just too complex for reporters? ASK THIS The electromagnetic spectrum is incredibly valuable, worth perhaps a trillion dollars. But its parts are auctioned off cheaply or given away by the government to a few knowledgeable people who then make fortunes. And the story is just about never reported.
Recalling Upton Sinclair | Who decides higher ed issues? Try the trustees ASK THIS On key matters at colleges and universities, trustees often have a bigger role than school presidents. Yet, as Wick Sloane writes, reporters hardly ever go to them, leaving many questions unanswered.
Stimulating the economy | Don’t we need a new WPA? ASK THIS The author of a new book on FDR’s Works Progress Administration writes that a jobs program would give more bang for the buck than a tax rebate –- and could also address the nation's serious infrastructure problems.
| A victory lap for Bush in Africa – minus victory ASK THIS Much more needs to be done when it comes to disease prevention and treatment in Africa, says development expert Josh Ruxin, founder and director of the Access Project in Rwanda. Bush’s initiatives have accomplished much -- but reporters should consider the negative effects of the focus on abstinence-only programs, decreased funds for family planning and the anemic support for economic development.
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