Truman senior fellow James A. Marvin wrote a great piece over the July 4th weekend about the military’s efforts to reduce its oil dependence. As James explains, at a time when the United States celebrates its freedom and independence from tyranny, the country is still bound to fossil fuels:

Many of us have just returned from long holiday weekend travels and celebrating our nation’s independence with road trips to the beach or visits with friends and relatives.

Yet while we were off reveling in our country’s freedom, every stop at every gas station along the way should have served as a stark reminder of another threat to our independence and future: Our addiction to oil.

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Instead of calling for more alternative fuel vehicles like the military is doing, private industry and some of our national leaders are content on keeping us dependent on gas-guzzlers. When the Obama administration recently announced new proposed standards that would push automakers to make vehicles that average 56 miles per gallon, some carmakers and politicians chose not to rise up to the challenge, but to condemn it – just because it’s difficult.

Instead of answering the call of Americans who resoundingly say they want alternatives to gas and oil, some of our nation’s leaders are content keeping us hooked on petroleum. When members of Congress recently had the opportunity to pass legislation and direct our taxpayer dollars toward energy efficiency programs, they instead decided to funnel our money toward oil industry tax breaks and pass bills that encourage more drilling, not new energy options.

And instead of embracing the challenge of creating a new and better economy – indeed, a new and better nation – some of our loudest self-proclaimed “patriots” today are content keeping us shackled to foreign oil, hurting our wallets, our environment and our nation.

His blog about the military’s, and not private industry’s, enthusiastic embrace of clean energy innovation can be found in full at The Hill.

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