[dennisw]

The falling dollar would only make us more competitive in the world if we were energy independent. Because 60% of our trade deficit is related to energy imports, and because energy imports become more expensive as the dollar decreases in value, the dollar decrease just means that the % of the trade deficit that is due to energy will increase. WE ARE SENDING MORE $$$ TO THE PEOPLE THAT HATE US!!

And OPEC and China will continue to sponsor the enviro-whackos so that we will never become energy independent.

Well stated
It's the oil/energy imports that are killing us these days. Our China trade deficit takes a back seat 

The eco-wackos are killing us. We have colossal reserves of clean Western coal to dig up and make into electricity. If we really had balls we would be setting up pilot plants for coal conversion into diesel, jet fuel and kerosene. 

But we have no leadership in Washington. We didn't win WW2 with free markets. We mobilized and that's what we need to do against Islam and for energy independence

[Alberta's Child]

We also had severe rationing of raw materials during World War II. One reason for that rationing was that we faced shortages of materials that had previously been imported from parts of the world that ended up in hostile hands (rubber is a good example of this).

I may be wrong about this, but I believe the notion that the U.S. was a self-sufficient nation before World War II is a myth.

[BlazingArizona]

colossal reserves of clean Western coal to dig up and make into electricity

And similar reserves of even cleaner Western uranium. But given our politics, all we can do with it is sell it to the French.

[valkyry1]

They have already tested shale based fuel and oils for use on the B-52. I see those things as strategic resources, in fact we have huge reservoirs of resources.

People forget we are in are WOT, and it is going on in several fronts. What is the first thing to die in a war, truth, so why play all of our cards early?