The Biden presidency has finally chosen to abide by the law a little. This is why it was announced on Good Friday afternoon.
Last year, Biden defied a court ruling compelling him to trade oil and gas leases on public land, but high gas costs finally got to him. So that’s good.
Unfortunately, he is only selling a small percentage of regular rentals. This is likely “better than nothing.”
Arrogant Statements
The decision is also amusing.
Soon after Democrats criticized oil executives for not producing enough, Interior Secretary Deb Haaland released an arrogant statement that made the issue a farce.
This seems Manchinesque. But the Secty of the Interior is Deb Haaland. Among other things, this breaks a Biden campaign promise. https://t.co/mOZx4IvCi6
— Farai Chideya (@farai) April 15, 2022
National oil and gas leasing processes have historically favored extractive industries over local people, the natural environment, water and air quality impacts, tribal nation needs, and other uses of our common public lands.
This is nonsense to appease environmentalists, who will be enraged regardless.
Their real issue is we should never utilize oil or gas. However, rational people will argue this oil and gas will not be accessible in time to help with the current problem. Of course, this is a long-standing myth.
We could have found this oil and gas last year, but Biden halted all new development in federal areas. The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would be awash in oil today if not for its three-decade protest movement.
It’s never too late.
Presently, new oil and gas sources are required for Europe to commit to a boycott of Russian supply. It won’t work unless Europe joins our boycott.
Our embargo only increases Putin’s oil and gas sales prices to his regular clients. It’s the correct thing to do, but it won’t succeed until we involve our allies, which means presenting options.
Countermeasures
Countering “Putin price rises” at the pump has always been best done domestically.
Our trading partners will benefit long-term from what we do now. Many European nations have been too dependent on Russian oil and gas. They realize this isn’t working.
They need to produce more energy or find other non-Russian sources, or they will be at the mercy of Moscow’s egotistical bully.
Much like Sweden and Finland are joining NATO because they fear being targeted by Russia in 2030 or 2035, we must plan for next winter and beyond when Russian efforts to cut off the natural gas supply could force additional diplomatic concessions.
Our drilling and a substantial increase in LNG exports, along with a new European commitment to fracking and nuclear power, can help.
Oil climbs as supplies from Libya were interrupted and Russia warned of the potential for record prices if more nations ban its energyhttps://t.co/I6sfLEpRcR pic.twitter.com/aRGAJD4fGh
— Bloomberg Middle East (@middleeast) April 18, 2022
Russia’s most potent weapon is not nuclear weapons, but natural gas. We can remedy this by sending more LNG to European ports, undermining Russia while benefiting our allies.
Meanwhile, Biden’s choice disproves his explanations and ludicrous defense of his previous actions. What happened to all those already awarded leases and permits?
A dozen Democratic House members complained last week that they thought all these oil firms were making money by not producing oil. What became of that debate?
Rising gas prices and the Ukraine crisis have put Democrats in a circular room with no seats. High gas prices are part of the Democratic environmental agenda.
So, the Democrats need a scapegoat.
After failing to blame Putin, they tried blaming energy companies. Biden has half-answered the oil industry’s call for new leases, making all those Democrats appear foolish.
It couldn’t be more ironic, could it?
