While running for office, President Obama promised that if elected, he would get us off OPEC oil within 10 years.

Two years are gone and we still don’t have a plan. In fact, there is some evidence that we’re going in the wrong direction. In July 2010, we imported 388 million barrels of oil. That’s the single largest import month since President Obama was inaugurated.

The NAT GAS Act will create jobs, clean up the environment and improve our national security by providing tax incentives to organizations which operate fleets of vehicles that are fueled with imported oil to be replaced with vehicles that run on domestic natural gas.

Election Day will soon be here. Those who are running for office — be it open seats, incumbents or challengers — need to take a look at this legislation and make a promise to reduce our need for OPEC oil a central part of their campaigns.

Michael Brown

Natchez resident