The Democratic Party’s move to push away from the “keep it in the ground” anti-oil movement is gaining steam, as liberal lawmakers continue assaulting the crusade at the Democratic National Convention.
Iowa Congressman Dave Loebsack and former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, both Democrats, used a portion of their commentary at a Wednesday Politico event on energy and climate decrying the movement to force fossil fuels on the dust heap of history.
“We can’t just flip a switch and say ‘no more fossil fuels, now it’s all renewables.’ That’s not practical, it’s not possible,” Loebsack said.
Rendell, who was in office while the natural gas revolution was in its infant stage, seconded Loebsack’s position, adding that fracking is not only beneficial but also necessary.
“But if you regulate it [fracking] well, it can be a valuable source of the economy and good for the environment,” Rendell said, adding that anti-frackers are notoriously intolerant of pro-fracking positions.
The Loebsack and Rendell’s comments echo those made by other liberal government sophisticates, such as Obama Science Advisor John Holdren, who told reporters on July 11 that the anti-oil movement is “unrealistic.”
