An energy crisis is steadily approaching, and swift and decisive action is imperative.

In the 2006 State of the Union address, President Bush said “America is addicted to oil.”

One year later, we are just as hooked.

Our country has not yet had the intervention and subsequent rehabilitation necessary to overcome this addiction.

There are plenty of talking points the executive administration has fed the American people to ease concerns about this addiction. Ethanol fuels are consistently mentioned as a major solution to current energy issues. Conversion to ethanol use is a short-term solution to a long-term problem.

This problem will never be rectified unless drastic measures are taken. This is where leadership needs to step in and guide us through an inevitably tough transition.

Doubling the capacity for the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, as Bush stated Tuesday evening, seems like the hoarding of an addict.

The president considered hydrogen-fueled vehicles several times over the last few years, but they were not discussed Tuesday night; perhaps because the $770 million promised last year for alternative fuel research eventually amounted to $630 million.

Bush said our dependence on foreign oil has made us vulnerable to hostile regimes. He has taken several other drastic measures in reference to terrorism, so why can’t we take the needed, drastic measures to boldly transition to a long-term solution?

As a people, we possess the resources, manpower and resolve to consume fuel in a less destructive manner that doesn’t hurt our foreign relations.