Pickens says the world sees it as both piggish and foolish -- using too much oil, and not demanding enough from the countries we protect. While the Chinese buy up reserves around the world -- and even have a deal with Iraq to develop their oil fields -- the U.S. has nothing to show for the lives lost and the money spent in that country!

Pickens is doing more than complaining. You can find his suggestions and join his attempt to inform Congress at www.pickensplan.com.

One central aspect of Pickens' solution is to offer immediate tax credits to move our nation's fleet of more than 6 million 18-wheel trucks from diesel to natural gas fuel. Because about 5 million of the 13 million barrels we import daily come from OPEC, a switch to natural gas as truck fuel could cut our dependence on OPEC in half! America is overflowing with new natural gas discoveries that have pushed its price down to record lows compared with oil. We would cut our dependence on foreign oil -- and our vulnerability to sworn enemies and fickle friends.

These two growing dependencies -- on imported money and imported oil -- top my greatest fears for the future of our free enterprise system. The truly sad thing is that we could solve these problems if only our representatives in Washington -- in both political parties -- would focus on these dangers.

And that's The Savage Truth.