U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) renewed criticism of President Joe Biden Monday evening in a statement calling for the Biden administration to put its oil money where its anti-Putin mouth is and stop paying Russia for oil supplies to meet Americans’ demand. [bold, links added]
“The entire world is watching as Vladimir Putin uses energy as a weapon in an attempt to extort and coerce our European allies,” Manchin noted.
“While Americans decry what is happening in Ukraine, the United States continues to allow the import of more than half a million barrels per day of crude oil and other petroleum products from Russia during this time of war.
“This makes no sense at all and represents a clear and present danger to our nation’s energy security,” he added of the Biden administration’s policy toward domestic production.
“The United States can and must ramp up domestic energy production and increase access to our abundant resources and technologies to both protect our energy independence and support our allies around the globe,” Manchin said, hammering the point home.
Senator Manchin is, as with several other issues on which he’s been vocal, right to criticize the Biden administration for its energy policy.
The United States absolutely can build and maintain energy independence — we were during the Trump administration.
When the U.S. is energy independent, it also helps our allies who come under threat from tyrants around the globe who otherwise have a monopoly on energy for our NATO and other international partners.
But by caving to radical climate alarmists and indulging their alternative energy projects, the Biden administration has made the U.S. subject to the whims of tyrants like Putin and put America’s allies in danger of the same.
“If there was ever a time to be energy independent, it is now,” Manchin’s statement continued. “I am calling on the Administration and industry partners to take action immediately, up to and including banning crude oil imports from Russia. To continue to ask other countries to do what we can do for ourselves in a cleaner way is hypocritical,” Manchin added of the Biden administration policies.
“To continue to rely on Russian energy as they attack Ukraine is senseless.”
“In the coming days and weeks, the strategic value of American energy and what can be done to better position our nation on the global stage will be an ongoing topic in the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee,” Manchin pledged.
Read more at Townhall
Let’s clarify a few key points: 1) As I appreciate the facts, the U.S was NOT truly “energy independent” under the Trump Administration. We were STILL importing around 5-6 million barrels/day pre-pandemic. The reality is we were (more or less) in a trade BALANCE where our domestic oil production of oil (light crude) & LNG exports & refined products exports EQUALED oil & refined products imports. 2.) The idea that the U.S has surplus capacity as a “swing oil producer” in the international markets is misleading. We currently produce about 11.5 million barrels/day, down from 13 million a day pre-pandemic. We have no ability to just turn a couple “master valves” & increase our production much above that pre-pandemic level. It will take a LOT of capital investment and time to significantly ramp up domestic oil production. 3.) Ongoing U.S energy policy under the Biden Administration will only EXACERBATE the current worldwide oil supply “pinch.” Vilifying domestic oil & gas producers, onerous regulatory initiatives & use of ESG to effectively cut off investment are NOT productive energy pursuits. We are DECADES away from transitioning away from fossil fuels. These short sighted, ideologically driven policies will not bear fruit as the energy transition unfolds over most of the rest of this century. PUNCH LINE: We had better start having a well informed, deliberate & ADULT conversation about energy, climate & environmental policy or we will go the path of the current EU. Energy POVERTY and reliance on dubious “actors” for supply is not a position of strength or enhancement of our national security. Better hope the voters WAKE UP at the mid-term elections before this gets any further out og hand…
Randy, an Adult conversation involves the likes of you and me and our fellow bloggers, but your country leaders are in their sunset years (Late dusk) and beyond seeing a very simple solution. I hope Uncle Joe decides not to run again although these mid terms may decide that for his handlers. Your solution is straight-forward and fairly simple but I guess too simple to grasp…