Energy: Mission Impossible? Pols, media clamor for energy independence, leave out crucial details.

It has figured prominently in the past two State of the Union speeches and has prompted waves of political and media support. But “energy independence” isn’t a simple idea, nor is it a cheap one.

In 2006, it became a punchline for “Today Show” host Matt Lauer, who said, “I’m Matt, and I’m addicted to oil,” during the NBC broadcast on Feb. 2, 2006.

What a difference a year makes. Now that leading Democrats and high-profile Republicans are all talking about “energy independence,” the stakes for American energy producers and taxpayers are much higher. The topic was deemed “safe” for bipartisan discussion by ABC’s Martha Raddatz on Nov. 9, 2006.

Journalists have been quick to press the idea. “Another question five years later, I think a lot of people thought in five years America would be energy independent or at least on its way to independence of the Middle East oil,” Diane Sawyer asked Rudy Giuliani during ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Sept. 11, 2006.

But colorful feature stories about happy days have left audiences ignorant of some crucial facts about the nation’s energy supply.

In reality, the United States is actually very self-reliant when it comes to energy. “If we look at total energy – including coal, nuclear and a small but growing share from renewables – the country is over 70% self-sufficient,” wrote Daniel Yergin of Cambridge Energy Research Associates in a January 23 Wall Street Journal commentary.

“The risks do not owe to direct imports from the Middle East, contrary to the widespread belief,” Yergin wrote. “Some 81% of oil imports do not come from that region. Thus, only 19% of imports – and 12% of total petroleum consumption – originates in the Middle East.”

Dems Push “Energy Independence” Bill

Legislation introduced in the House by Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) would make the oil-rich 1.2 million-acre coastal strip of Alaska a permanently protected wilderness and end repeated efforts to open the area east of the Prudhoe oil field to energy companies. Markey called the bill a small, first step toward total energy independence for America.

“Getting more energy leads to using more energy,” Markey observed. “We need to break the cycle of dependency. This bill helps start the weaning process.”

Markey has introduced similar legislation in each of the last three congressional sessions only to see the effort die in the Senate. This time, with Democrats in the majority and a number of moderate Republicans on record as opposed to drilling, Markey believes he has a good chance.

Markey disputed critics who maintain that increasing domestic sources of oil will lead to energy independence. “These people don’t get the big picture,” Markey said. “They think that ‘energy independence’ means America won’t be depending on foreign oil. They’re wrong. True energy independence will only come when we learn to live without it.”

Markey has the backing of environmentalist groups that want the new Congress to reject policies encouraging more domestic energy production. Instead, these groups want to discourage energy production and consumption of coal, oil, natural gas, and nuclear power. “These things should stay in the ground where nature intended,” said Sandy Beech, spokeswoman for the Environmental Defense Fund.

While acknowledging that his dream won’t come overnight, Markey said he is confident that people will embrace the idea of returning to a ‘hunter-gatherer’ lifestyle. “Instead of being stuck in traffic driving to a 9-5 job, people will roam the wilderness hunting for game and collecting fruits,” Markey said. “They’ll get more exercise. They’ll eat less fat. They’ll live as nature intended our species to live.”

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