Vice President Joe Biden delivers remarks at the U.S.-India Strategic and Commercial Dialogue Leadership Summit Reception in Washington, D.C., on September 21, 2015. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]
Among America’s great economic assets is its gas industry. Hydraulic fracturing is the source of America’s current energy revolution. It’s also why fuel is cheap, and the source of America’s independence from Saudi, Iranian, and Venezuelan oil.
Elizabeth Warren is promising that, if elected president, on her first day in office, she will ban fracking “everywhere.” Not to be outdone, Joe Biden, Vermont Socialist Bernie Sanders, and Senator Kamala Harris are making similar promises.
As Francis Menton, points out, a quick look at the leading contenders shows that they are outplaying one another in deliberate lunacy to eradicate all fossil fuels.
- Joe Biden – In New Hampshire on Friday (September 6), responding to a question about whether he could be trusted to deal with the “climate crisis.” His answer (video at the link): “I want you to just . . . look in my eyes. I guarantee you, I guarantee you that we’re going to end fossil fuels.”
- Elizabeth Warren – The Senator from Massachusetts may have seemed to be skirting the issue with her multiple piecemeal “plans” that never got to the heart of the matter. Until Friday, when she finally issued the definitive tweet: “On my first day as president, I will sign an executive order that puts a total moratorium on all new fossil fuel leases for drilling offshore and on public lands. And I will ban frocking—everywhere.” Given that fracking accounts for more than half of U.S. fossil fuel production — and essentially all of new production — that tweet leaves very little daylight between Warren and an outright fossil fuel ban.
- Bernie Sanders – On September 4, Sanders also called for a “full fracking ban on public and private lands.” Of course, Bernie is also the guy who has been calling for criminal prosecution of everybody in the fossil fuel business.
- Kamala Harris – Kamala Harris issued her own call at the CNN September 4 town hall for a complete ban on fracking.
Fundamentally Unserious Presidential Candidates
With the eradication of all fossil fuels, the fearless Democratic candidates have yet to answers some of the Manhattan Contrarian’s pertinent questions:
- How is an airplane going to work in this brave new world?
- How are you going to heat your house?
- How much is your electricity going to cost?
- How is farm equipment going to run?
“When,” continues Mr. Menton, “did it become possible – indeed, not just possible, but required — to be so fundamentally unserious while running for President of the United States?”
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