So you're suggesting the USA should block (or duty) oil imports, so that Americans have to pay a lot more for their oil just so they can prop up the US oil industry?

Would your own answer to this question be different if you had to pay what oil would actually cost with all externalities included, including but not limited to the gargantuan oil-industry subsidy that is the US defense budget?

I don't think Americans would want that either. People generally prefer taxes that are hidden, and Americans seem to like paying for a huge military.

did we pay for that? i thought we got that on loan

I was talking about world politics, but you are bringing up some petty domestic issue.

The discussion is about the USA.

Indeed. Read between the lines, but especially the last sentence.

Sure, but if the people who own the oil can sell it outside the country for more they will. So the price/demand outside still matters. Unless you're planning on making it illegal to export?

It was illegal to export American crude oil for 40 years. That lasted until early this year: http://money.cnn.com/2016/01/29/investing/us-oil-exports-beg...

Yeah, but the imports still set the price.