Well over half of the US trade deficit comes from petroleum imports. Every year, America consumes more and produces less domestically, ensuring the problem will continue to worsen every year. As a result, foreign suppliers, many of whom don't like us very much, accumulate outrageous wealth and trillions of dollars worth of US assets. The accelerating process distorts and sends ripples through the economy. Even the housing bubble has roots in foreign oil dependence, and America the Prisoner explains the connection. One thing is for certain, oil costs Americans much more than just the price paid at the pump.
The environment also falls prey to oil addiction. A sticky mess in the Gulf will be around for many years, and the prospect of climate change is ever-present. The most serious problem, however, is dwindling world supply coupled with rapid demand growth in the developing world, a recipe for future conflicts, skyrocketing prices, or both. The realities are inescapable. America must act.
America has the tools and the resources to achieve energy independence. Foreign oil dependence and economic turmoil need not be America's destiny. America the Prisoner shows how a revolution in technology based on nearly a century of research and development offers the promise of a safe, clean, affordable, and, most importantly, domestic energy supply. The US can end the scourge of foreign oil and renew America, bringing back jobs, increasing wealth, and promoting economic growth.