American-izing our energy

I received email below from Governor Pawlenty's committee. National security remains the critical issue of our time, and it is nice to see Governor Pawlenty leading the charge both as Governor of Minnesota and Chairman of the National Governor's Association.

Dear Chris, Next time you go to the gas station, when you're standing there watching the numbers flip by as the cost climbs, think about this fact: 10% of our imported oil comes straight from Venezuela. That means every time you fill up, you're probably buying at least a gallon of gas from Hugo Chavez. The same Hugo Chavez who believes the United States is "the devil." And another 10% comes from Saudi Arabia. Since the gas lines of the 1970's we've known that hooking our economy to the Middle East is very dangerous. Yet the federal government has provided almost no leadership on this issue in the last 30 years. In my new role as chair of the National Governors Association, my focus will be securing a clean energy future for America. As you know, states are frequently the incubators for important policy initiatives. I believe it is critical that we move America towards energy independence. Over the next year, I intend to continue to lead by example in Minnesota, while working with other governors to find ways to "Americanize" our nation's energy supply. If we can unhook from the Middle East and in the process find new energy sources that do less damage to the environment, all while enhancing, not harming our economy, I believe it will be a major breakthrough for America. I hope you'll join me in this cause. Sincerely, Tim Pawlenty

P.S. To learn more about our initiative to "Secure a Clean Energy Future" click here.