Depending on Energy, Not Energy Independent

'Energy independence' has... become a prized bit of meaningful-sounding rhetoric that can be tossed out by candidates and political operatives eager to appeal to the broadest cross-section of voters. When the U.S. achieves energy independence... America will be a self-sufficient Valhalla, with lots of well-paying manufacturing jobs that will come from producing new energy technologies.... When America arrives at the promised land of milk, honey, and super-cheap motor fuel, then U.S. soldiers will never again need visit the Persian Gulf, except, perhaps, on vacation.—Robert Bryce

Energy independence. It has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it? If you think so, you’re not alone, because energy independence has been the dream of American presidents for decades, and never more so than in the past few years, when the most recent oil price shock has been partly implicated in kicking off the great recession.

Read more: http://www.american.com/archive/2012/december/depending-on-energy-not-energy-independent