In an Oil Boom, Reason to Mourn 55 Mph Speed Limit

Cheap oil is still propping up dictators overseas.

In December, U.S. lawmakers voted to end the nation’s decades-long ban on the export of crude oil, which was passed to limit American dependence on foreign oil. Fittingly, the move came almost 20 years to the day after the repeal of another key energy policy: the 55 mph speed limit.

Both measures were created in response to the 1973 oil crisis. Their dismantling speaks to a regrettable shift in the way Americans think about energy and national security.

Read the rest at Live Science.