Bush To Startle US

I have to admit I don't trust anything coming out of Bush's mouth. We can only hope his remarks about weaning US off oil are true. More efficient batteries will provide safe, clean energy for automobiles, but why should we believe we're there?

Saying that the nation was on the verge of technological breakthroughs that would “startle” most Americans, President Bush on Monday outlined plans to wean the country off foreign oil.

Less than half the crude oil used by refineries is produced in the United States, Bush said in the first stop on a two-day trip to talk about energy.

Some foreign suppliers have “unstable” governments that have fundamental differences with America, he said.

Bush is focusing on energy at a time when Americans are paying more to heat their homes and have only recently seen gas prices fall.

One of Bush’s proposals would expand research into smaller, longer-lasting batteries for electric-gas hybrid cars, including plug-ins. He highlighted that initiative with a visit Monday to the battery center at Milwaukee-based auto-parts supplier Johnson Controls Inc.

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