In addition to energy crisis, an effect of U.S. dependence of foreign oil that many believe has already been exploited is the political affect. According to Feldstein, "the political leaders in the Middle East know that our dependence on their oil gives them leverage over our policies." Some believe that many of the United States' interventions in the Middle East have been in the name of oil. Many of these also believe that oil has been the cause of American deaths, domestic, and foreign policy concerning both oil and the Middle East. Further dependence on foreign oil, which is projected, can only further increase the effects of said dependence on United States politics, both foreign and domestic.
Finally, a third effect of the United States' dependence on foreign oil is economic volatility. Although gas prices have begun to go down, high prices during the summer of 2008, and in other years, have been a result of this dependence. Not only does the dependence on foreign oil affect gas prices, but oil is also used in the manufacturing industry, so the prices of many other goods and food also rise, throwing our economy into a recession like the one it is currently experiencing. This economic volatility is caused by the United States' having to pay for oil from the Middle East and their inability to control prices.
Thus, the causes and effects of foreign oil are three-fold, but the solution has two major components, find more domestic oil and reduce oil consumption. The first solution has to...
While this will help decrease the United States' dependence on foreign oil, it will not make a significant enough dent in the problem (Reducing U.S. Oil Dependence). Instead, the United States' citizens need to focus on reducing their need for oil by consuming less. This includes living a greener lifestyle, in addition to becoming educated about the problem. Using less oil also creates a burden for modern scientists, as they are tasked with determining what alternative energies can most reduce this dependence.
The United States' dependence on foreign oil is an important problem because oil is a valuable resource, affecting industries from food and agriculture to transportation to manufacturing. Too few resources, paired with over consumption, have led to the problem, which has, in turn, caused the possibility of an energy crisis, political problems, and economic volatility. In order to solve this problem, however, one must rely heavily on reducing one's oil consumption, while turning to U.S. oil exploration for a supplement.
Works Cited
Feldstein, Martin. "Oil Dependence and National Security: A Market-based System for Reducing U.S. Vulnerability." National Bureau of Economic Research. October 2001. 02 December 2008. http://www.nber.org/feldstein/oil.html
Reducing U.S. Oil Dependence." National Resources Defense Counsel. 3 October 2001.
02 December 2008. http://www.nrdc.org/air/energy/fensec.asp
