Every president since Jimmy Carter has called for the country to become more energy independent. Yet none of them have ever done anything to accomplish that.<\/b> The result is that our reliance on foreign oil has inexorably increased. With the current turmoil in the Mideast, the price of gasoline breaking the $4-a-gallon barrier and the Chinese becoming voracious competitors for imported oil, this would seem an ideal time to pass a law that could lessen our dependence on foreign crude.<\/p>\n
Oilmen are incorrigible optimists, and Boone is no exception; he thinks the bill will pass quickly. Not long ago, President Obama spoke out in favor of it, in a speech that included a shout-out for Boone. Already, the bill has attracted 157 co-sponsors. \u201cI think the House can pass it in 30 days,\u201d\u009d Boone says.<\/p>\n
I hope he\u2019s right. Natural gas is cheaper than oil. It\u2019s cleaner. And it\u2019s ours. If Congress can\u2019t pass this thing, there\u2019s really no hope. \u201d\u0192<\/p>\n