Independence from Oil and Oil Independence

"Why should a dried little country like Libya with a crazy dictator play havoc with America's economic security?"
-Arnold Schwarzenegger

Yup, Arnie's got it right. His speech at the ARPA-E conference in Washington, DC (embedded in the blog before this one) charismatically laid out the obstacles we face because of our dependence on foreign oil. Unlike those who occupy 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Arnie has no qualms about boosting green jobs, renewable energy and pollution reduction. He wears his environmental accomplishments as a badge of honor, not to be undermined by special interests, especially those who funded the ill-fated Proposition 23. He is the antithesis of the Kochs and Valeros. He knows that our National Security is directly connected to our oil consumption and the stability of regimes in the Middle East.

But, that's old news. Presidents going back to Eisenhower have called for an end to our dependence on foreign oil. As Arnie so eloquently put it, when Eisenhower told the US to end its consumption of oil from the Middle East in 1959, imports accounted for 20% of consumption. The random drawing of borders that ignored cultural, religious, social and ethnic boundaries after WWI amounted an inherent instability in the Middle East. Our hands on support of dictators created a legacy of enmity in oil rich countries like Iran, Libya, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Now we see that instability magnified to its "nth degree," represented by the protesters who have fought and died in successful and ongoing attempts to topple regimes in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Libya. Just recently, a single protest that led to the injuring of 5 by Saudi Arabian police caused an increase in oil prices. You can imagine what their "day of rage" will look like.

While it is appropriate for Obama to stress Eisenhower's point of eliminating our addiction to foreign oil, I think he can go a step further. It is time, not just for Oil Independence, but Independence from Oil. Congressman might use this time of instability to tout opening up the Arctic, Alaska and the Outer Continental Shelf to oil/gas drilling. Congressman will use this time to tout the Keystone XL tar sands pipe line as energy independence. But, these are a dying breed. These are opportunistic excuses of the past.

Here is what Obama can do:
1. Use CAFE standards to increase efficiency of cars
2. Support the expansion of electric car infrastructure
3. Support for T Boone Pickens plan to expand the use of Natural Gas for trucks
4. Support environmentally safe standards for Natural Gas Fracking
5. Fund efficient and public transit
6. Fund infrastructure projects that make cities more accessible
7. Tell the State Dept to reject the Keystone XL pipeline
8. Remove or lower subsidies for oil companies

These steps will create jobs, improve efficiency of cities and transit and put us closer to both Oil Independence and Independence from Oil.