Video: No Malarkey, Natural Gas and Oil Critical to U.S. Security, Growth
Mark Green
Posted August 25, 2020
Former Vice President Joe Biden, talking about the benefits of U.S. natural gas and oil in the years leading up to his 2020 presidential campaign:
“North American energy makes us independent.”
“We’re positioned to own the 21st century. … North America will remain the epicenter of energy.”
See these and others in this Biden/energy hit parade video:
Clearly, there was a time when the former vice president was quite bullish on U.S. natural gas and oil. He recognized the strategic benefit of falling U.S. oil imports and the advantages of affordable, reliable energy to American manufacturing. From his U.S. Senate seat he watched each president from Jimmy Carter to George W. Bush push for increased domestic energy production. And he was vice president when Barack Obama joined the chorus:
Unfortunately, things have changed. Today the former vice president’s position is to ban new federal natural gas and oil leasing. He has pledged to yank key permitting for the Keystone XL crude oil pipeline, which would strengthen the U.S. relationship with Canada, our No. 1 supplier of imported oil.
These are not steps to increase U.S. energy leadership and security. Both are as important today as they were when Biden made those laudatory speeches.
U.S. voters in key battleground and other states agree, with 93% in a recent poll saying it’s important for the U.S. to produce enough energy to avoid being dependent on other countries and 82% recognizing the value that natural gas and oil provide to their personal lives. Two out of three say they’re more likely to vote for a candidate who supports access to natural gas and oil produced in the U.S.
The U.S. needs all sources of energy to remain safe and strong – but our energy security and economic progress start with natural gas and oil, our leading energies. Borrowing a phrase from the former vice president, that’s no malarkey.
About The Author
Mark Green joined API after a career in newspaper journalism, including 16 years as national editorial writer for The Oklahoman in the paper’s Washington bureau. Previously, Mark was a reporter, copy editor and sports editor at an assortment of newspapers. He earned his journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and master’s in journalism and public affairs from American University. He and his wife Pamela have two grown children and six grandchildren.