How to break our addiction to oil

I am appalled to read how negative Mr. John Stossel is on the concept of "energy independence."

Just as an Olympic athlete does not wake up one morning with miraculous abilities to be the best in the world, energy independence will take years of commitment, sacrifice and expense by all citizens to achieve. I agree that trade is good, but only if it's fair to both parties. Paying $140 for a barrel of oil is due to an addiction and lack of alternatives and not because it's free trade. Mr. Stossel states that per Jerry Taylor, of the Cato Institute, says we import oil because it's cheap. It's cheap because the U.S. government subsidizes it with the cost of our military presence in the Middle East. If the military cost were added to oil, the cost of gasoline would be several dollars per gallon higher than what we now pay. The cost of breaking an addiction, as with drugs, alcohol or nicotine, takes commitment, behavior change, expense and quite often numerous attempts.

I suggest one possible solution:

To commit to a $2.50 per gallon gas tax to be implemented at the rate of $. 25 per year over 10 years. The tax collected would be used to give tax credits to citizens who purchase hybrid or electric autos, or install solar or wind-energy systems in their homes or businesses. This will give individuals 10 years to plan their next auto purchases and manufacturers the ability to develop more efficient or alternative autos, without the fear that someone will turn on the oil spigots and cheapen fuel to spoil the effort.

The tax credits would bring parity to the higher capital cost for the new technologies that citizens would need to pay. This additional tax would also bring the cost of gas closer to the cost that is paid in Canada and most European countries. Americans would still have the choice of idling their SUVs at the grocery store or embracing efficiency and alternative energy options.

George A Krzesinski

Lisle