Technology has practically eliminated scarcity in America. Oil is part of technology, but not the only component. If you give up oil, or cut back substantially, interdependence will once more bring a degree of scarcity even if you substitute other energy sources simply because oil is in totality the cheapest source of energy. National security is another component of technology, one highly dependent on oil. Other forms of energy should be seen as ineffective in national defense, for example. We are where we are because of technology and we can't very well step back. We can move beyond, but the technological base must stay.