Biden’s war on American energy even makes Carter years look good by comparison
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If President Joe Biden was looking for a gift for former President Jimmy Carter’s 98th birthday, his mishandling of the OPEC situation sure fits the bill. Despite all the flaws and failures of the current administration, they have been remarkably successful in waging war against America’s energy producers. Every American is paying the price, literally. And suddenly, the Carter years look better in retrospect.
The Biden administration may have expressed anger at the announcement from OPEC – a rogue’s gallery of 15 oil-producing countries that includes Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela – that it was slashing oil production by 2 million barrels a day in November. This was not an isolated incident. It took a long time to develop and was made worse by Biden’s adherence to the green movement at every turn.
Biden, as a candidate, stated that we would eliminate fossil fuels. “ He has kept his promise as a candidate and now as president. He has cancelled pipelines and leased fewer acres of federal land since World War II for oil and gas drilling. Biden was already pointing fingers at the private sector before Hurricane Ian struck, and issuing dire warnings that “doesn’t use this to raise gasoline prices or devastate the American people.”
With domestic supply shrinking and demand accelerating post-pandemic, prices shot up and Biden’s approval numbers tanked. Average price for a gallon of gas was $2. 39 on his inauguration, rose steadily, topping out at a nightmarish $5 per gallon over the summer. The national average is now at $3. 89 – more than a 60% increase from where it started.
US President Joe Biden (L) being welcomed by Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (R) at Alsalam Royal Palace in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on July 15, 2022.
(Royal Court of Saudi Arabia / Handout/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
As confidence in his presidency plummeted, Biden turned to foreign actors to bail him out. He traveled to Saudi Arabia in a futile effort to convince the crown prince Mohammed bin Salman, a man he once referred to as a “pariah,” to loosen supply. He lifted restrictions placed on Venezuela by Nicolas Maduro, a brutal dictator. His administration opened up the possibility of Iran buying oil. He continued to vilify American producers.
When none of these options worked out, Biden turned his attention to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR). The SPR is similar to “supply chain”, but it is not something Americans are familiar with. The stockpile, as the name “reserve” suggests, is an emergency supply. Although it was not intended for daily use, don’t tell administration.
Starting last fall, Biden began flooding the market with oil. The spring saw the release accelerate to 1,000,000 barrels per day for six months. This was a period that was scheduled to last until October 31st. After OPEC’s announcement, Biden authorized the release of another 10 million barrels. Rising gas prices are not something politicians want to carry to the polls.
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The SPR is at its lowest level in nearly four decades, leaving the United States vulnerable to unexpected supply shocks. Biden is reportedly keeping a tight grip on domestic energy producers. His administration is reportedly preparing a reduction in offshore drilling leases in Gulf of Mexico, following the OPEC news. New York followed California’s lead in prohibiting the sale of gas-powered cars by 2035.
Biden claimed that gas prices had “fallen” repeatedly, but now wants to blame someone else for their rise. The president is wrong to think that voters are more intelligent than they realize.
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For those hoping Biden will break from the greens, don’t hold your breath. His poll numbers with young voters are already falling, which is a group that he desperately needs to see in November. They are particularly animated by the green fantasy. According to NBC exit polls in 2020, nearly two-thirds of voters between the ages of 18-24 broke for Biden – 11 points higher than any other demographic.
In 1977, Carter discussed the “unconventional sources of energy we will rely on in the next century.” Biden continues the reckless push for an all-renewable, untested future nearly half a century later. Bad ideas don’t get better with time. Both Carter and Biden’s misguided policies created man-made energy crises which could have linked them together as one-term presidents.
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Colin Reed is a Republican strategist, former campaign manager for Massachusetts Senator Scott Brown and co-founder of South and Hill Strategies.
I have been writing professionally for over 20 years and have a deep understanding of the psychological and emotional elements that affect people. I’m an experienced ghostwriter and editor, as well as an award-winning author of five novels.
