The most cost effective way of powering anything is Nuclear power. People just don't want to live near one cause they think their children will be born with 3 eyes or something. People don't realize that the average Nuclear worker recieves less radiation exposure in a YEAR than the average person will recieve on a sunny beach for a DAY!

Also as far as tapping our countries natural oil reserves goes, can I ask Why? Lets use up everyone elses first. It may cost a little now, but if we ever have to fuel an "all out war" against the middle eastern countries that supply our oil currently we have a reserve we can tap into. Also in the mean time if we were not buying our oil from the middle east then what relation would we have that would prevent them from declaring war on us!

As for depressed states and the revenues got from taxing oil goes, can you say the democrats in your state are giving it to all those unemployed people instead of giving it to industry so they can grow and hire more people!