During the Carter administration (if memory serves me correctly) the Energy Department cabinet position was begun. At the time, America was experiencing long gas lines due to supply having been cut by Arabs (no less) who controlled supply. Since the beginning the Energy Department served no actual function and during subsequent administrations the democrats (after the long gas lines disappeared) pushed for a cabinet level EPA position to regulate the Energy cabinet position.
This is the years to now and the EPA holds more power (though no cabinet level position, unless I am wrong), due to democrat policies, and the Energy cabinet post holds little to no power. In my humble opinion, this is by design of the democrats who see energy (in this country) as a resource for revenue and not an enhancement to wealth for the middle class. Democrats believe if it is not producing revenue for the government it must be regulated in such a manner as to cause that source to be less abundant unless abundance is revenue enhancement to the government. Thus enter the EPA and enter America's dependence on foreign oil. The EPA does not exist in the Middle East, nor do democrats, unless one (rightly) believes the radicals of the Middle East are democrats.
I cannot say everything I typed is absolute, for an opinion is never absolute. Having studied this situation, for years, has generated this (my) opinion. To look at the present, one only has to look at those who issue the permits to mine or drill for America's resources and understand permits cost money, mining and drilling cost money, and the government is there every step of the way mining money from each and every attempt, by our nation, to attain energy independence and self-sufficiency. Maybe it (really) is the New World Order?
Why didn’t we become more energy independent during the Bush presidencies?