Let's face it: Energy independence is a SCAM! It's not gonna happen in the U.S.! We consume way too damn much, and we would have to spend so much money we don't even HAVE to replace all of our oil, at least the amount we import, with alternative energy. The only cases of nations becoming completely energy independent, few and far between as they are, which includes Brazil, have MUCH SMALLER consumption patterns than the U.S. Most alternative energies are simply too costly and inefficient.



Sure, Bryce's book isn't perfect, but what is? He goes into enough detail to make you realize how stupid you've all been buying into this nonsense, especially our politicians. Energy independence is yet another third rail in American politics, it seems. If you say "We don't need it" or "It's stupid", you'll probably lose all chances of ever getting elected again, if at all. Few people bother to do any research on the issue. One side treats clean energy and renewable fuels with the ardor of a religion. The other side falsely claims that oil money funds terrorism, while they can't provide a SINGLE example of this happening!! You mean to tell me all these Western anti-terrorist oil companies are just giving away oil to Osama? That the Saudi monarchs are just giving oil to the terrorists behind our backs? Don't gimme that crap. You can't prove that "oil funds terrorism" because it doesn't! It's a silly myth a lot of people use as an excuse for "energy independence" in terms of security.



I mean, do you HONESTLY think the terrorists would really be that much weaker w/o oil money? Have you any IDEA how many terrorist charities there were disguised as regular Muslim organizations, even operating inside the U.S., before the Clinton Administration uncovered it? Do you even realize that Osama bin Laden's own FAMILY is in the construction business? Surely he got quite a bit of that money just by virtue of being born into it. And besides, in places like Afghanistan, they sell DRUGS like opium! They don't NEED oil. So can it.



And furthermore, I'm tired of people complaining about how we're "attracted" to Middle Eastern wars b/c of oil. NO WE'RE NOT! We go there because the American people are too damn brainwashed and don't question their leaders when it comes to war until it's too late. We go there because of foolish war hawks who care more about stupid nonsense like "democratization" abroad than our own security. If you want less wars in the Middle East, fight for that! Don't hide your concern under oil. We all know oil isn't the factor. Oil or not, we could easily abstain from constant war with the Middle East if we just tried.



And last but not least, who could forget the fact that we only import about 1/5th, if even that, of our oil from the Middle East!! We import far more from Latin America! Yet no one's saying we need to become energy independent because of Hugo Chavez, for christ sake. What's the big deal if we don't even import nearly half our oil from the Arab world? Or are people really that misinformed about the actual amount?



Plus, there are PLENTY of other credible sources in addition to Bryce that also come to similar conclusions about energy independence. Bryce is no crank in the wilderness. He's a smart libertarian-leaning man.