Op-Ed: Biden returns U.S. to 1970s’ energy dependence

By William Haupt III | The Center Square contributor

“Joe Biden eliminated my job with the stroke of a pen.” – Suzanne Walker, Pipeline welder, TN

In 1880, the U.S. produced 85% of the world’s crude oil. The 4th largest U.S. export was kerosene. Major oil finds in Oklahoma, Texas, and California tripled U.S. production by the turn of the century. During World War I, America supplied oil to Britain, France, and their allies. And during World War II, Americans rationed gas and oil at home and provided over half of the much-needed fuel for the allied war effort.

But when Franklin D. Roosevelt helped the Middle East double production of cheap crude, it was the kiss of death for U.S. energy independence. As a result of cheap imports, the U.S. cut back on oil production.

And by 1970, the U.S. was dependent on imported oil from politically unstable Eastern nations. Since the 1970s, the East has had a major influence on America’s foreign and domestic political and energy policies.

Throughout the 70s, U.S. dependence on foreign oil influenced her politics and threatened her economic health and global influence. For six decades, America has faced gas rationing, shortages of industrial petroleum, and heating oil.

The U.S. has been coerced to invest in inferior, less efficient energy resources to fuel the needs of its consumers and to keep the wheels of industry churning.

It was not until 2019 that the U S. regained its energy independence under President Donald Trump. In 2019, after 62 years, our nation produced more energy than we consumed. This was a result of Trump’s support for the hydraulic fracturing production of oil. By June 2020, the U.S. was exporting oil!

“We allowed OPEC to have too much control over America too long.” – Donald Trump

According to the American Energy Alliance’s (AEA) 2021 scorecard, America’s energy renaissance was due to Trump’s commitment to use all energy resources to make America energy independent. This included oil and gas, minerals, and renewable resources such as wind, geothermal and solar.

Trump worked with the Energy Department to roll back Obama’s restrictions on methane gas production. He made it easier to obtain Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) mining permits on federal land.

He increased drilling permits under the National Environmental Policy Act. Energy Secretary Brouillette, said, “Our goal is to simply provide Americans with safer, cleaner, affordable energy.”

In his 2017 budget bill, President Trump gained approval for clean, safe energy development in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. He also negotiated re-drilling on federal lands in Kern County, CA, which had been shut down by environmentalists in 2013 when they filed a lawsuit to halt all drilling.

The biggest step toward American energy independence was Trump’s approval of the Keystone XL pipeline. To cross over the U.S.-Canadian border it needed presidential approval and Barack Obama had told Congress that, “This pipeline is not in our best interests.” But Trump disagreed.

“Keystone will not only help Americans, it will help defend world energy freedom.” – Donald Trump

Without Obama’s onerous regulations, America achieved the largest decrease in carbon dioxide emissions of any country since 2000 – by telling free markets to self-police.

This allowed President Trump to justify removing the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, which was only benefiting China and third world nations at America’s expense. These nations could continue to pollute all they wished.

While America was enjoying energy independence for the first time in six decades, then candidates Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were campaigning to ban hydraulic fracturing.

Both candidates had also vowed to block all drilling and exploration on federal lands. Biden’s energy platform called for new increased “strict, aggressive methane pollution limits for new and existing oil and gas operations.”

Despite the pandemic proving that people prefer driving their personal vehicles, Biden and Harris campaigned to transform the entire U.S. transportation system into electric and renewable fueled mass transit vehicles. Their plan was to eliminate all petroleum-based infrastructure in a decade.

When Joe Biden took office, America was recovering from its worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.

With many of the COVID-19 restrictions lifted and employment rising, it was only a matter of days before the economy would pick up where it left off before its international shutdown.

“We learned a lot of lessons from the pandemic and I know that we’ll profit from them.” – Joe Biden

The American Energy Alliance had reported that the Keystone Pipeline would reduce emissions by cutting down fuel used to transport oil.

But Biden ordered to cancel the Keystone Pipeline his first day in office. This was a promise he made to the climate activists who paid dearly to elect him.

Biden’s misspent energy policies have haunted him daily as gas prices have no place to go but up.

TC Energy Corp., which owns the Keystone Pipeline along with Alberta, reported that at least 1,000 people lost their jobs immediately due to Biden’s executive order. They estimate it will affect over 11,000 more industry jobs, and lost economic revenue will exceed $2 billion by the end of the year.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows that unemployment started to improve when Biden ended federal handouts. But seasonally adjusted numbers only edged down to 4.6%. Recent Commerce Department figures revealed all of America is now suffering from high inflation and high fuel prices.

“We can end these high gas prices simply by dipping into our oil reserves.” – Sen. Chuck Schumer

By the midterms, Biden will learn that much of his $1.9 trillion “American Rescue Plan” was used to pay for higher gas and home heating prices caused by his energy policies.

With gas averaging $1 more a gallon than last year, Biden is begging OPEC to increase production and cut export prices on oil.

Last month, the Saudis showed Biden that they too can take down the American economy any time they wish like Iran and Iraq did to Jimmy Carter in 1978. As Biden frantically tries to save face with his war on fossil fuel, the Mideast is turning a deaf ear praying that he’ll be reelected in four years.

In 450 BC, Sophocles wrote, “Smart men yield when they are wrong.” Biden and the far left still have a chance to end this energy crisis if they wish. But chances are they will never attempt to do this out of fear of reprisal from their global warming crusaders, whose plan was for this to happen.

“The survival of the United States is at risk due to our dependence on fossil fuels.” – Al Gore

President Biden has shown, “fools rush in where wise men fear to tread.” Putting the entire nation’s economic security in danger by undoing energy policies that made the U.S. energy independent is an illusionary fool’s paradise.

Only “fake science climate doomsayers” call this a successful policy. And dismantling energy policies that reduced a nation’s carbon footprint lower than any other in the world will be Biden’s “Climategate.”

“Wherever you get enough far left people in power, you can find a similar willingness to force everyone into collectivist conformity at all costs.” – Thomas Sowell