Some talking heads have said that we should have a President, Leader, Congress, a mandate to become "Energy Independent", especially of foreign oil !  If we only had the leadership and drive, like the program put forth to the American people by President Kennedy to "Put a man (American) on the moon, by the "End of the decade",  the 60's ( in less than 8 years amazingly).Well , just to put that kind of program in perspective if undertaken today WOULD NEVER GET DONE!! Why you ask? First of all the environmental Nazis,and the sue-happy lawyers, and all the other behaviorally idiotic groups who would prevent us from accomplishing the goal of going to the moon(Just like they do when the reasoned question comes up"Why can't we drill in our own backyard"). Can you just imagine all the environmental impact studies all the lawsuits, all the special interest minority disenfranchised groups who would impede any, ANY advancement to the goal?  The sad fact is we would have never made it to the moon at least not in 8 years, heck we might just be going their now, after all the environmental impact studies and idiotic lawsuits had played out. Yes, such a fantasy as "energy independence" is just that, a fantasy and probably won't happen in our lifetime, just too many myopic moronic nay-sayers are in the way these idiots would rather see our Country destroyed and pay $10.00 per gal. to terrorist countries than to tap into our own vast oil and coal rich resources,go nukes !!                         Richard S. Nicholson