The need for a better Energy Bill is undeniable. In addition to the war in Iraq and Afghanistan and various improvements of homeland security, we need to take aggressive steps to further our independence of Middle Eastern oil curbing both terrorism and prices at the pump. And our government, with the new energy bill, has done nothing to promote our independence of Middle Eastern oil. Not even mileage requirements are in the Energy Bill. We simply need to make it so no money is sent to the Middle East for oil, and it could be done in 5-10 years! Here are some quotes from a conservative hawk and former CIA agent, Frank Gaffney:

"The more we are consuming oil that either comes from places that are bent on our destruction or helping those who are ... the more we are enabling those who are trying to kill us," Gaffney said.

And here's his view on Bush's and Schwarzenegger's Hydrogen dreams:

"They'd rather work on something that won't be in their lifetime, and that's this hydrogen economy stuff," Frank said. "They pick this kind of target to get the public off their back, essentially.

The point isn't that we directly send money to terrorists by buying oil from the Middle East, but as long as we buy oil from the Middle East, we have to maintain relationships with those nations, and that's what increases the chances that terrorists find reason to hate us. Fact: Wars such as Afghanistan and Iraq, although seemingly justified, will never stamp out terrorism. I believe our government isn't stupid enough to believe that, so why lose thousands of lives and spend hundreds of billions of dollars in trying? The real reason is strategic. China will be needing a lot of oil sooner than you can finish your dinner. Controlling oil in the Middle East will be our only hope of preserving our grip as a superpower in preventing China and India from rising to the top with us. Sure, my ideas may be extreme, but I've thought and thought about this, and this is the only thing upon which I can agree is plausible.

Here's my plan:
1. Mandate the use of E15(15% Ethanol-85% Gasoline) in all cars by 2007, then E50 by 2010. This is already taking place in many urban areas, and the capability is already there.

2. Mandate the use of at least B20(20% Biodiesel-80% Dinodiesel) in all diesel pumps nationwide by the year 2007 or 2008. Capability already exists. And mandate all Dinodiesel(from fossil fuels) to come from GTL Diesel from the SABOL process using our own coal and natural gas by 2012. This can also be accomplished by emission standards alone. Dinodiesel is diesel made from crude oil. GTL diesel is sulphur free diesel made from natural gas, of which we have plenty right here at home.

3. Mandate a 20% increase in mileage in all pickup trucks and SUV's that are currently "left alone" by government regulators; this needs to happen by 2007 or 2008. This is already possible. It's nothing more than making a Ford Expedition get 19 miles per gallon instead of the 16 it gets now. This is no feat for today's engineers. Keep in mind that these gas-guzzlers will be guzzling more and more alcohol as time progresses, not oil.

At this point in 2010, the 40% of oil that comes from the Middle East is no longer needed, but if that's even too fast, it will definitely happen by 2015 with these changes..

4. By 2012, mandate the use of B50(Biodiesel/GTL) in all pumps nationwide, and mandate E85 as the fuel for cars nationwide. Our capability of ethanol will be met as it's already well on it's way right now. Ethanol can be made at around $0.67 per gallon, and even less if we import it from Brazil. All of our oil needs can then be met by Venezuela, Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. alone. Biodiesel and GTL demand will be met with emerging technologies(easy since oil companies are already running tests in towns in the Midwest).

5. By 2010, mandate that 80% of all pickups and SUV's more than 5000 lbs run on diesel, which is much more efficient and much less of a greenouse gas contributor and will no longer contribute to air pollution due to the use of Biodiesel, GTL, and technologies already found at Corning, Inc.and in Volkwagen TDI vehicles.

Notice that none of this even takes mentioning hybrids, which will only make the goals even easier to reach.

Here are some positive results of all this. Oil prices will drop dramatically because OPEC nations will lose sales. They would probably drop even if the U.S. Government announced plans to even do this. We will no longer be required to deal with Middle Eastern Countries, namely Saudi Arabia, and the probability that hate toward us builds(for whatever reasons) will diminish with time, and so will terrorist attacks against us. The reason for this is that we simply will not be intervening in any of their policies. Excessive loss of life and money will be avoided. Our military resources will better spent at home or abroad in situations that more effectively improve national or global security. Due to ethanol and biodiesel use, air pollution that causes childhood asthma, lung cancer, heart attacks, among many other health problems will be almost eliminated. Also, biofuels such as ethanol and biodiesel "recycle" carbon in that burning them does not add a net amount of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere, which causes global warming.

We simply cannot leave all this responsibility to the capitalistic market. When SUV's and cars are bought with horsepower being more of a competitive sales carrot than mileage, progress gets lost in the proverbial gas pedal. There is need for government to promote a better society, free of terrorism and pollution. Wars can only provide so much security, and they can backfire if few things deviate from the plan. Besides, companies like GE, Chevron/Texaco, BP, and many other are already delving into these technologies, they only need a reason, and the consumer can provide those reasons.

Please send this link to everyone you know to get the ball rolling. Support your troops and make fuel prices drop by buying a more efficient vehicle, car pooling, combining trips, and not using your vehicle when unnecessary. Write your senator. The complacency has to stop!