[from occupied ga]

First, we can tap into our own oil reserves.

Here we agree - long overdue

Second, we could make cars much more efficient without compromise to occupant comfort and safety.

How? Only way is to decrease power or decrease weight or both. Decreasing power makes them unsafe, and decreasing weight beyond where we are now is either unsafe (really small car) or incredibly expensive (carbon fiber body)

Third, we could make homes much more efficient without significant added expense.

Again How? Insulation costs money. Newer air and heat units aren't cheap either.

[BJungNan]

One of us is an optimist. The other believes we have reached the limits of our techincal abilities.

Let's start with cars and place ourselves back in 1997. A chrysler New Yorker was very comfortable and could travel down the highway at 70 mph getting about 14 mpg and putting out relatively clean air.

Move ahead in time to 2004. A Lincoln Town Car which is still very comfortable and luxurious can travel the same stretch of highway at 70 mph putting out much cleaner exhaust and getting 25 mpg. And it is a far safer vehicle.

In 1977 would you have thought it possible that Americans could still have the luxury they want and be able to get 80% better milage and have much cleaner exhaust? Or did you think then also that we had reached the limits of our automobile technology?

Certainly we can improve milage efficiency without compromising motorist comfort or safety. Not overnight, but over 25 years certainly. And with national resolve, we could do it at years, even decades, sooner.

As for houses, we have not even scratched the surface. Again, without a little resolve and not a whole lot of added cost, everyone could be enjoying a $48.00 average monthly electric bill like I enjoy.

Get some faith.