\The U.S Department of Energy, which did little since its inception under Jimmy Carter to make the country energy independent, claims to be driven by Americans’ and foreign allies’ best interests. That, I hope, is true, but intentions pave many roads to nowhere, and the government is notorious for such paving with Solyndra standing out as the main example: half a billion bucks down the drain in just two years, and today no one rides on that road to nowhere (bankruptcy). Good intentions have built such highways.
So, when the DOE announces an alteration in liquid natural gas production and shipment, shouldn’t we be concerned? LNG is a handy way to get natural gas to European allies cut from Russia’s supply lines. Not to worry, DOE tells us. It’s all good.
And maybe it is. LNG production and shipments have increased in recent years. DOE writes, “We need to know what these expanded exports mean for available domestic consumption, for American industries, and household energy prices. By updating the analyses now, we’ll be better positioned to avoid export authorizations that diminish energy availability here at home, undermine our economy, and worsen the consequences of climate change." Sounds good. But note how that statement ends with “the consequences of climate change.”
It seems undeniable that DOE’s demands for changes in home appliances, driven by its commitment to climate change initiatives, will further strain the financial resources of middle and lower class Americans. Yes, appliances will be more energy efficient, but their initial costs will be higher, and coupled with the increases in energy costs suffered by American families over the past three years—increases caused by Biden’s policies that will continue—the effect on families will likely be more negative than positive.
And that goal of independence and low energy costs that motivated Jimmy Carter and not fulfilled until the brief four years of the Trump Administration is once again just a goal. The emphasis on green energy and climate change will ensure that the goal will remain as distant and unreachable as it was from the Carter years to the Trump years.
As you drive your expensive EV to the next charging station, you might want to consider the consequences of an administration obsessed with climate change. Energy costs have risen by as much as 25% under the current administration and your ability to buy gasoline powered cars and less expensive appliances is fading under increasing numbers of mandates and regulations. Certainly, the increases in energy costs have affected many. According to a CNN report by Tami Luhby, “nearly 20 million households are behind on their utility bills.”*
Maybe you’re all in on the “existential threat” Biden says climate change poses, so increases in energy costs do not concern you. But 20 million families feel an existential threat from a government that makes an enemy of modern life that rose from an abundance of cheap energy.
*https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/23/business/utility-bills-arrears-summer/index.html
So, when the DOE announces an alteration in liquid natural gas production and shipment, shouldn’t we be concerned? LNG is a handy way to get natural gas to European allies cut from Russia’s supply lines. Not to worry, DOE tells us. It’s all good.
And maybe it is. LNG production and shipments have increased in recent years. DOE writes, “We need to know what these expanded exports mean for available domestic consumption, for American industries, and household energy prices. By updating the analyses now, we’ll be better positioned to avoid export authorizations that diminish energy availability here at home, undermine our economy, and worsen the consequences of climate change." Sounds good. But note how that statement ends with “the consequences of climate change.”
It seems undeniable that DOE’s demands for changes in home appliances, driven by its commitment to climate change initiatives, will further strain the financial resources of middle and lower class Americans. Yes, appliances will be more energy efficient, but their initial costs will be higher, and coupled with the increases in energy costs suffered by American families over the past three years—increases caused by Biden’s policies that will continue—the effect on families will likely be more negative than positive.
And that goal of independence and low energy costs that motivated Jimmy Carter and not fulfilled until the brief four years of the Trump Administration is once again just a goal. The emphasis on green energy and climate change will ensure that the goal will remain as distant and unreachable as it was from the Carter years to the Trump years.
As you drive your expensive EV to the next charging station, you might want to consider the consequences of an administration obsessed with climate change. Energy costs have risen by as much as 25% under the current administration and your ability to buy gasoline powered cars and less expensive appliances is fading under increasing numbers of mandates and regulations. Certainly, the increases in energy costs have affected many. According to a CNN report by Tami Luhby, “nearly 20 million households are behind on their utility bills.”*
Maybe you’re all in on the “existential threat” Biden says climate change poses, so increases in energy costs do not concern you. But 20 million families feel an existential threat from a government that makes an enemy of modern life that rose from an abundance of cheap energy.
*https://www.cnn.com/2023/05/23/business/utility-bills-arrears-summer/index.html
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