Something has to be done regarding the cost of energy in the US and every American citizen knows this. Americans can only stand aside and watch helplessly as fuel prices surge while Republicans are seeking more subsidies to oil firms and Democrats are trying to regulate energy companies with additional laws or penalize them by raising taxes on them.

In the end, consumers are hurt by government involvement, both through more subsidies or more regulations. A customer-driven free market which reflects the real cost of resources should be the base of America’s energy policy. Restrictions imposed by the Federal Government that slow down energy production should be done away with, just like subsidies for the production of politically favored fuels like ethanol.

More concretely, what should be allowed and emphasized is the exploration and production of America’s national resources, like oil in the Outer Continental Shelf and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, as well as alternative sources such as shale oil. Furthermore, developing domestic natural resources will ensure more consistent supplies as well as lower the costs to the end user.