The Steps Which America Should Take to Reduce Our Dependence on Foreign Oil

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It is important that America should take immediate action to reduce its dependence on foreign oil. If America continues to have a great demand for it, it will create a threat to the country’s economy and national security. There are three primary actions that America might take in order to reduce its dependence on foreign oil: Alaskan oil drilling, off-shore oil drilling, and natural gas drilling.

America’s dependence on foreign oil is a threat to its economy. Per minute, America wastes $200,000 and per hour, $13 million by relying on it (Natural Resources Defense Council, p. 1). Gasoline consumption has led to an increase of costs of oil which is passed on to consumers at the pump, through more expensive goods and services, and in a weaker job market and lower stock prices (Natural Resources Defense Council, p. 3). Therefore, if current trends in oil demand and prices continue, economic impacts for the U.S. will intensify. It is possible for America to reduce its dependence on foreign oil, but the petroleum industries and other monopolies have paid Congress to take out the competition (Worthington, p. 1). Legal monopolies are targeting the market effects of foreign oil, which increases profits, while America’s government obliges them. Unfortunately, these de jure monopolies have kept America in a dirty fuel monopoly that has been arranged to terminate its only competition to create a government-granted monopoly (Worthington, p. 1). As for the national security, by importing more and more oil each year, there is an increase of demand and a decrease in domestic production. The United States can become more secure by enforcing the work on farms and factories to reduce our thirst for foreign oil (Natural Resources Defens...

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...es revenue from the sale of offshore charters and helps win political support for energy and climate legislation (Broder, p. 2). The political response to off-shore drilling is positively approved. The Offshore oil drilling plan is considered to be a new chapter in the nation’s search for an approachable energy policy that can release new areas to oil and gas enlargement. Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar, has said that he hoped to rebalance the nation’s oil and gas policy to block oil exploration beneath virtually all public lands and waters (Broder, p. 3). An option, that was introduced, other than depending on foreign oil and reducing oil imports was the use of biofuels. This can lead to an increase of the purchase of hybrid cars for the motor industry. Off-shore drilling is an appropriate action that can reduce the amount of foreign oil imported by America.

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