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There are three main problems:
1) Democrats are just as heavily invested (on average) as Republicans are in the companies which would be harmed by 'energy independence' legislation. In other words, they stand to lose money out of pocket.
2) Although they will *never* admit it, Democrats understand full well that most 'energy independence' proposals amount to feel-good government mandates which have little practical benefit and significant economic cost. The ethanol fuel mandates, for example, have cost the US hundreds of billions in secondary costs and actually result in *MORE* air pollution!
3) Democrats suffer the additional burden of being beholden to a coalition of interest groups whose demands may be contradictory. For example, actual energy independence would require the US to start using oil deposits which Democrats have placed 'off limits' to make environmental groups happy. If they do what really works, they lose votes.
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