Currently this isn't true with energy resources in America.  We're a nation addicted to oil (or at least petroleum derivatives), to meet our energy demands.  And only a fraction of those demands are unrealistic.  So what we need in order to meet the realistic demands are alternative sources.

Thus, we really do need to develop such renewable supplies as wind and solar.  I'm not entirely sold on nuclear, because I read an MIT report a few years back that exposed some of the really dirty secrets of the industry, especially as related to hidden taxation.  (And I promise that as soon as I scrounge up that report, I'll stick a link up here.)

And yes, conservation is necessary.  We also must develop more fuel efficient vehicles.  Right now my car of choice is a Ford Escort (with a manual transmission), because they're so darned thrifty with gas.  But there's not one good reason that we cannot have fuel-efficient trucks and SUVs . . . if only the auto industry would just design and build them.

But supply also has an impact on price, though limited.  So in the meantime, we need to tap the reserves we do have at our disposal in order to make sure we can supply our national needs while alternate technologies are being brought online.  And the two must not be separated.  In other words; yes, drill where we've got it, but get out of the way of the development of better energy sources.  (Seriously, government, just get the hell out of the way.)