US energy independence can be a bridge to a new America
America is good at war, so let’s declare war on foreign oil dependence
Today, the President offered his fiscal plan with a strong focus on reducing the deficit. One big area for reductions offered by the President was to cut military spending. Certainly, that alone is not enough to solve America’s spending problems, but it does seem to offer a bridge to a new American future.
For instance, what if the US was energy independent, how much would that save in military spending? Many tens of billions, NOT including ANY war costs, every year easily. Add war costs; however, and we’ve blown trillions to maintain the current energy paradigm based upon cheap foreign oil.
Would achieving US energy independence really cost so much more?
More important, how many jobs would be created? How many world-changing innovations? Might that not alone loosen the grip of Medicare and the other entitlement programs’ stranglehold on the US economy?
Seriously, let’s get real honest for a second. WE the people are a big part of the problem. We can blame the left or the right, but we’re all still part of the problem. Bring up changing Medicare, Social Security, etc. to an older Democrat or Republican, for instance, and both are ready to throw down, to even join forces. We just can’t handle the truth. We want everything, but we want to give nothing.
Is there some other way forward? There has to be some other way forward.
OK. Maybe there isn’t, but a robust economy, I’d bet, would certainly make any change far less painful, and nothing impacts the US economy more than energy. So, let’s become energy independent. Yes, that will require new drilling, perhaps a significant embrace of natural gas, coal or tar sands – at least in the interim – but it will also require much higher CAFE requirements for instance. Furthermore, in the long term, clean and green energy will be the key to keeping the US economy robust, even if energy independent.
Believe it or not, but there is a bridge between “drill, baby, drill” Americans and solar-powered electric car fans. Will WE dare cross it?
“We are self-reliant people” that can achieve great things when we work “together” the President proclaimed today. Unfortunately, shortly thereafter, the President divided the people and turned back into a politician rather than the President of “WE” the people, regardless of party affiliation. But, that’s just the nature of our political system. If it wasn’t Obama doing it, it would be Palin, Trump or some other politico.
Nevertheless, together, WE – Democrats and Republicans – can become energy independent, or at least turn the current energy paradigm so far on its head that the same effect is achieved. Ultimately, it’s not about political leadership, or the blame game. It’s about us, it’s about WE.
It won’t just be new drilling, batteries, CAFE or biofuels that change America. It will take all of them and much more. More important, it will take a commitment by ALL of US. Inevitably, we don’t need the government. We don’t need our elected politicians. All WE need is a commitment to come together as a people for the benefit of ALL people and declare war on foreign oil dependence.
WE can do better. Unfortunately, it’ll be just so much easier to blame them.