The problem is that we won't be able to have our cake and eat it too. We want to continue using as much oil as we do, get from a cheap as we can, and be picky about where it comes form. I don't think we can have all three.
To really become energy independent or OPEC independent we'd have to make changes, many of which could be painful. Eventually we'll have to find some other energy source as oil is a finite resource.
The US uses 20.6 mbd of oil but only produces around 5 mbd. If we are to continue using that much oil we have to import it.
Here is where the rest of it comes from.
In July we imported 6.121 mbd from OPEC countries 2.493 mbd came from the mid east. So to offset that foreign production by domestic production we'd have to more than double our domestic output. Deep water drilling, oil shale ect are all more expensive to use and are give less energy return on energy invested. If we still had more cheap source we'd be using them already. Replacing OPEC oil with these sources will push up the price at the pump, winter heating oil, food prices ect.
Energy independence is a good campaign phrase but so far there aren't any easy solutions to do it and I doubt we have the political will to do it.