Energy Independence = Fiscal Responsibility

While reading an article about the convergence of oil supply and demand issues permanently driving up the cost of oil, I came across this precious piece of information: oil imports account for roughly HALF of our current account deficit!

Basically, what that means is that we’re charging our oil purchases to our national credit card, which of course, we’ll have to pay back at some point. That time may be sooner rather than later if the US Dollar doesn’t start increasing in value.

The problem is that with the mortgage problems at Fannie and Freddie and the government’s willingness to back up their debt, we could add much more the to national debt which will drive down the value of the dollar. As the dollar goes down, investors will opt for other currencies and investments that yield a higher return. As investors shun the dollar, the due date for repayment gets closer or we’ll suffer much increased inflation.

The solution to our fiscal problems, both government and citizen/consumer alike, comes back to energy and breaking our dependence on ANY oil, not just foreign oil. Which would you rather have: a menial, temporary "tax break" which adds to our national debt and must be repaid later or a permanent reduction in expenses? Personally, I’d much prefer the latter.

So what’s the silver bullet?

An electricity grid powered by solar, wind and geothermal is half of the solution. Solar, wind and geothermal power supply is infinite, their production cost goes down as mass production goes up, they’re non-polluting sources of power and they’re 100% domestic. That’s what I call energy independence. But that’s just half the equation.

Converting our auto fleet to entirely electric or hybrid electric would not only free America from pain at the pump, we’ll also cut our national deficit, the amount we continue to borrow to make ends meet, in half, which in turn, will increase the value of the dollar. Just imagine what you’d do with all the money you’d save on gas…

That’s a silver bullet…

Now only if we could get Congressional spending under control and make a few reforms of wasteful spending, we might actually eliminate the deficit and still have money left over to improve our health care and education.

Let your state and federal representatives know that you are tired of your gas bill. You support wind, solar, geothermal energy and the conversion to an electric automotive fleet. If you talk, they’ll listen.