While this may seem a strange way to view an economy, none the less you can consider an economy as energy transformation. Indeed, since this accurately describes any economy, an economy per se must always be considered in terms of energy transformation.

The economic slowdown at the end of the Clinton Administration was brought on by higher oil prices. While a speculative bubble had built in t-coms, the oil price rise was the item which finally puctured this bubble. (The Iridium failure started the process.)

The same holds under Bush Jr.

The quickest fast fix I can think of is federal highway money - road improvement saves oil in the long run. The states are facing tight budgets, housing starts (construction) is down a little - urban (central city) roads are in decay as well -

Rail - passenger: secure parking facilities are needed, faster and safer tracks - freight: more long distance rail-truck container traffic - I don't know what kind of problems are holding this up -

ep