Saudi Arabia is making a big-time play for solar energy with an eye toward selling it to other nations.

Think about that: The country with the largest proven deposits of oil is going solar! Meanwhile, you have certain states at home where the state legislature is in the pocket of the power companies and they've found ways to stall the march of solar.

Meanwhile, a new survey from Pew Research Center finds that roughly 60% of Americans want more energy exploration to solve the energy riddle in the U.S.

Those natural gas ads you see running in heavy rotation on TV about the value of us diverting vehicles to natural gas is absolutely the right thing to do. You may have heard me talk about the duel fuel trucks that are coming, as just one example.

The Saudi solution is a geo-political thing that gets very politically complicated. But long term, we don't want to be dependent on any foreign nation for our energy needs. We should make energy independence a goal of ours because it's a national security issue.

I'm obsessed with separating myself from foreign oil. That's why I drive an electric car that I charge off the sun because I have solar at my house. I also have the Prius that I converted to a plug-in hybrid. This is something that I feel through and through in my body, soul, heart and mind. I want us to be energy independent.

In terms of the American people, a simple majority want us to develop alternative sources too. But it will take using natural gas in a smart way, exploring for oil, and doing wind, solar and maybe even fuel cells. Basically an 'all of the above' kind of approach. Something to continue our political strength in the world and allow us to have financial strength as well.