During the period, many people believed the oil shortages were artificially created by the oil companies to drive up prices, rather than created by outside factors. Further, while in a market economy, shortages would be expected to drive up prices, reducing demand, of themselves they would be unlikely to result in queues at the gas pump but for artificial regulations and price controls. Many politicians proposed gas rationing, such as the Governor of Maryland, who proposed odd-even rationing (only people with an odd-numbered license plate could purchase gas on an odd-numbered day). This did not last long,
President Jimmy Carter made symbolic efforts to encourage energy conservation (such as wearing a sweater) and installing solar power panels on the roof of the White House and a woodstove in the living quarters. However, Ronald Reagan ordered the solar panels removed and the woodstove was dismantled. Carter made a speech arguing the oil crisis was "the moral equivalent of war". More importantly, Carter proposed removing price controls that had been imposed in the administration of Richard Nixon during the 1973 energy crisis. Congress agreed to remove price controls in phases, they were finally dismantled in 1981 under Ronald Reagan
In 1980, following Saddam Hussein's Iraqi invasion of Iran, oil production in Iran nearly stopped, and Iraq's were severely cut as well. Yet oil lines did not reappear in the United States.