Suffice it to say that we are not exactly on the verge of shifting some crop subsidies from corn to, say, olive-growing, which not only would be more healthful but would also make us less dependent on foreign oil.

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But the cold war is over, so Germany is inherently less dependent on America.

ECONOMIST: German-American relations: Ready for a Bush hug? | The

Tonight I had a chance to discuss with you what to do to keep this economy going: keep the taxes low, don't increase the scope of the federal government, keep regulations down, legal reform, a health care policy that does not empower the federal government but empowers individuals, and an energy plan that will help us become less dependent on foreign sources of energy.

NPR: Transcript of Second Bush-Kerry Debate

But much of the tech growth in the country has continued to flow to more affordable regions less dependent on venture investment.

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You have countries, like Finland and Slovakia, that are entirely dependent on Russian gas not only paying two very different prices, but also paying less than many countries, like Poland, that get barely 50% of their gas from Russia.

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Germany is still very dependent on the Eurozone and the wider EU for its economic prosperity, but it is becoming less so.

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But there are some actions the President and his administration could take in a second term that would make us less dependent on imported oil from hostile nations, increase efficiency, increase the economic activity generated by the oil and natural gas industry, and do it all without harming the environment.

FORBES: An Energy Action List for A Second Obama Term