Why is Biden boasting about drilling for oil? Our planet demands we stop now

[luv2fly]

Why is Biden boasting about drilling for oil? Our planet demands we stop now
Peter Kalmus
Thu 31 Mar 2022 09.18 EDT

We are spiraling further into climate and ecological breakdown. Now is the perfect moment to build out renewables and end the fossil fuel industry as if the future of humanity depends on it.

*snip*

Any reasonable person can look at today’s climate impacts – the droughts, famines, floods, fires, storms, ecosystem losses, and deadly heat – see that they are caused primarily by burning fossil fuels, read the IPCC summary reports that project how much worse they will get and how irreversible the damage will be, and conclude that we must end the fossil fuel production as quickly as we can. Any one of the catastrophes I’ve listed should be reason enough to do so. Taken together, they indicate nothing less than the eventual end of civilization as we know it.

On top of this, Putin’s brutal war is funded primarily by the flow of gas and oil out of his country. Partly because the human brain finds war more “immediate” than climate breakdown, this has suddenly increased public awareness of the dangers of our fossil fuel addiction.

Tragically, the Biden administration is choosing to expand the fossil fuel industry at this critical moment. White House spokesperson Jen Psaki recently bragged that “US production of natural gas and oil is rising and approaching record levels” and that “trendlines also point up,” as if these are good things. The administration has approved new drilling permits at rates far exceeding even Trump. Fossil fuel executives and investors are planning to increase production indefinitely, at least through 2035, demonstrating their belief that the politicians they’ve bought will continue to ignore the public’s desire for climate action.

More at

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2022/mar/31/why-is-biden-boasting-about-drilling-for-oil-our-planet-demands-we-stop-now

[tirebiter]

1. Same reason we need to keep producing bullets while we strive for peace

Typically, purists sound stupid.

[JohnSJ]

2. No he isn't, and it is typical of the Guardian to misrepresent things with their typical what they

consider anti-Democratic “establishment” nonsense

What Biden laid out today was simple. Short term and long term goals to help people get through the high price of fuel

Short term he will be releasing one million barrels a day to increase the supply for 6 months to ease the burden on what Americans are paying at the pump. He is also pushing for expanding battery technology, and alternative fuels

At the same time he is telling oil companies who have stopped the oil drilling on leased lands to create even higher prices, to temporarily increase the supply or be charged a premium for letting those existing leased lands stay ideal

If the Guardian doesn’t think the high gas prices will hurt us in the midterms unless something is done, then they are quite naive

We need to at least win the Senate in the midterms, or it doesn’t matter

If we followed Peter Kalmus now, republicans would take over Congress

[DURHAM D]

7. Actually what I really focused on was telling the oil companies to turn the wells back on.

I have part interest in two wells that have been shut down for a year and a half. One of the wells was originally drilled in 1938 (on my great grandmother's land). For the past twenty five years when the price of oil drops they just quit pumping it out of the ground. Price goes up they turn the wells back on.

[JohnSJ]

8. Interesting observation. Thanks

[stopdiggin]

10. 100%. as 2 follows 1 ( and night follows day) ... -(nt)-

[comradebillyboy]

3. He's doing what the public wants. It's smart politics.

High gas prices and inflation are huge problems. Making the public suffer in the pursuit of ideological purity is a great way to put the Pukes back in the driver seat.

[JohnSJ]

5. Exactly. The same purist mindset used in 2016 by some to either vote third party, or sit it out

The infrastructure isn’t there yet, and electric an alternative fuel cars are still much too expensive for most people

Biden made it clear this was temporary until things settle down with Ukraine

[Baked Potato]

4. IMO, this is not the "perfect moment" to work on climate.

It is more important now to win elections and save democracy.

[JohnSJ]

6. +++

[stopdiggin]

9. exactly. really glad to see this 'piece' getting some richly

deserved criticism. My immediate thought on reading was, "Or - we could just allow all three branches of the government to fall firmly into the hands of the 'Trump party' - and see what 'climate policy' that brings us ... " "Oh, wait ... "

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Mind numbingly stupid ...