May 25, 2024
Dear editor;
This letter is a response to Reader’s Commentary, May 16, 2024, “Biden reversed Trump accomplishments.”
The foundation of the argument presented in the comments May 16 article, as I understand it, is Biden destroyed U.S. energy independence”, reversing Trump’s accomplishment; it made Putin rich, and it enabled Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In his words: “Trump had the U.S. energy independent and the net exporter of oil… what Trump had done, to build energy independence, Biden destroyed.” In the next paragraph: “Because Biden cut our energy production, we couldn’t sell oil or natural gas to Europe, but now…Putin could.”
This dubious rendering of history concerning Biden and so-called “U.S. energy independence” is not true and has been previously refuted in The Voice, Decenber 5, 2023, “Joe Biden Policy in Focus.” Nevertheless, the term “energy independence” can have different references. Published April 29 this year in the Scientific American, Andrew Campbell writes, “Energy independence” is only a political slogan… an open question given the term’s varying definitions.” He explains that a common definition claims energy independence occurs when the U.S. produces more than it consumes; both the Trump and Biden administrations achieved this, with the U.S. producing more crude oil than ever last year, breaking all records, and is on pace to do it again this year, according to the U.S. energy administration (to the consternation of climate activists). With a more stringent definition, one which bars all imports, the U.S. has not achieved energy independence in 75 years, so says Harrison Fell, N.C. State University.
He explains that “energy independence” is a useless term that ignores the reality that gas and oil are part of global market: “Globally traded commodities are exposed to international supply and demand disruptions that can affect global prices. Reducing reliance on fossil fuels is a key step toward independence from global oil markets.”
Completely negating the commentator’s assertion about our inability to export oil to Europe, the U.S. Energy Information Agency March 18, 2024, published: “Exports in 2022 increased significantly following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and European Union sanctions banning seaborne crude oil from Russia. The effects of these sanctions contributed to continued growth of U.S. exports in 2023.” That growth is expected to continue throughout 2024.
Biden did not destroy Trump’s “energy independence.” Both oil production and exports to Europe have increased substantially during Biden’s administration, though it is important to understand that “energy independence” is a nebulous, often political term, better defined, I think, when production is to be offset by what is imported. Domestic prices of gas and oil are of course, subject to the rigors of the global marketplace and domestic greed.
The narrative proposed by the comment concerning Iran’s six-billion-dollar extravaganza needs a global positioning device to follow and it incorporates the argument just refuted.
Concerning the southern border, at this writing, congressional Republicans twice rejected a bi-partisan bill proposing to end the chaos, acquiescing to Trump’s wishes.
Have you noticed? Advocates of Comrade Trumpskie, i.e., Fox News et.al. and the Republican politburo in the U.S. Congress have quietly dropped the euphemism “Biden Crime Family” since their top whistle blower/informant, Alexander Smirnoff was arrested for being a Russian agent—Whoops! I have not seen it lately in these pages either—Collusion? Nyet!
Please go in peace.
Dave Hoehne, Aurora