Today, with the ever increasing gas and diesel prices, we are feeling the pain and paying the price for a lack of leadership and a lack of vision for the future.

For most politicians, the future is only as long as the next election cycle. They scramble to ease the pain with a band-aid hoping it will last till Election Day.

Frankie Robbins is different. He will demonstrate the leadership and vision needed to assure a bright future for America. He knows Americans will rise to the occasion if there is leadership to show them the way.

Robbins believes we must strive for energy independence with a national unity and purpose not seen since World War II. Our national security and our economy are in jeopardy. Our nation's future and our children's future are at risk.

In the U.S. we use approximately 20 million barrels of oil per day. We import more than 12 million barrels per day which is more than 60% of our total use. At $110 per barrel we are importing nearly $500 billion of oil per year.

Some of that $500 billion goes to countries, like Venezuela, who are not our friends. And, some of that money finds it way into the hands of terrorists. It has been said that we are funding both sides of the war on terrorism. Obviously, our dependence on foreign oil has serious consequences for our national security.

Frankie Robbins believes we can achieve energy independence - if we have the leadership, the national will, and if we "put our minds to it!" We must act much faster than the "significantly independent by 2030" that has been proposed by the presidential candidates.

He understands that everything must be on the table. That the solution involves finding the most effective and efficient combination of conservation, innovation (research & development), efficiency, developing new oil & gas fields, recovering oil from old fields, cleaner burning coal technology, nuclear power, alternative energy such as wind, solar, and geothermal; and bio-fuels.

Robbins knows Oklahoma is especially well positioned to lead the way with increased oil and gas production; wind power; and bio-fuels.

Natural Gas: Oklahoma's energy companies are world leaders in developing new technologies and are finding new reserves every day. Natural gas, an important part of the solution, is abundant in the U.S. and Oklahoma is the nation's second largest producer.

Robbins understands the oil and gas industry and government must work together. That cooperation does not exist today. Congress blames "big oil" for high gas prices. The oil and gas industry blames the government. The President blames Congress. The Congress blames the President. The blame game goes on and nothing gets done. We have become too divided by politicians, ideology, and the same 'ol Washington partisan politics. It's time to bridge that divide and we must come together for the future of America.

Frankie Robbins knows he can provide the leadership to bridge that divide. His job with the U.S. Forest Service involved working with oil and gas companies accessing federal mineral leases on environmentally sensitive mountainous National Forest lands. He knows from experience we can protect the environment and still develop the oil and gas resources.

Oil: With ever improving technology, the Enhanced Oil Recovery (EOR) potential from old wells in the U.S. is estimated at 80 billion barrels including the Oklahoma fields developed in the early 1900s. Oklahoma is the fifth largest producer of U.S. crude oil.

Wind Power: Oklahoma is blessed with an abundance of wind! Commercial scale wind power is progressing; but individual, small scale wind generation holds promise too.

Bio-fuels: The overall contribution of bio-fuels to reducing our energy dependence is relatively small at less than 10 percent. However, in Oklahoma, bio-fuels have the potential to make a significant contribution to the economy of rural Oklahoma.

The potential in Oklahoma for "cellulosic" ethanol is very promising. Cellulosic ethanol made from switchgrass, a native grass to Oklahoma, has many advantages:

Robbins knows bio-diesel also holds promise for Oklahoma's farmers and its rural economy. Small scale bio-diesel plants could allow farmers to produce their own diesel and be independent of the vagaries of diesel prices.

The research at the Oklahoma Bio-energy Center is serving Oklahoma well but federal funding for research and development must be significantly increased for more rapid and timelier development of the cellulosic ethanol and bio-diesel industry. Robbins says, "Our sense of priorities has totally gone astray. We spend more in Iraq in one hour; and more on imported oil in 15 minutes than the entire annual budget for cellulosic ethanol research at the Center. That is absurd! It is time to invest in America's future!"

Robbins is ready to lead. He is ready to take action. He is ready to invest in the future.

Frankie Robbins is ready to bring Americans together to "Get America on the Fast Track to Energy Independence!"