i'm actually not optimistic at all. i see nothing whatsoever being done in washington, nor do i hear anything from the pandering dolts who remain as our choices for president.
instead we've got 2 gas tax holiday idiots (the inverse of what is needed), and they're the 2 best candidates! Obama will kill the economy if he gets enough votes in congress to go along with his socialist and anti business/success/free trade (basically, anti capitalism) agenda. he won't go for things that upset the left wing- so that rules out most of our ideas.
no, i do not see us on a trajectory that will lead to a solution in an acceptable timeline, if ever. i see an endless stream of campaign type initiatives to look like they're doing something (like ethanol, tax holidays, etc)- anything that is a perceived short term solution (read: gimmick) without giving 2 fucks for actually addressing the problem, doing what is needed and standing up and telling the American people that this is what we're doing, there will be costs in the short term but the end result will be worth it.
we need a gifted orator with the right idea- we need an energy independence version of MLK who can convince people that we need to take some bad tasting medicine for the next several years in return for a better tomorrow. put it in terms that people can relate to, like putting money aside for their kid's college or retirement at the sacrifice of doing without a few things now to meet future goals.
unfortunately, we are a culture of people who love the easy route of bashing the ideas of others and never accomplishing anything. easier to protest against something and villainize things than to advocate for something- especially for something that isn't easy or without some cost.