A Biden/Kamala Presidency Means Energy Shortages and Higher Electricity Bills

August 20, 2020

Climate change took center stage the third night of the Democratic National Convention. Presidential nominee Joe Biden and his running mate Sen. Kamala Harris have both called for cutting oil-industry subsidies and limiting production at various times in the run-up to the November election.

However, the two have conflicting statements on an approach to hydraulic fracturing. Kamala Harris, co-sponsor of the Green New Deal, has said there was “no question” she’d ban hydraulic fracturing; whereas, Biden’s proposal bans any new oil and gas development on federal lands or waters. Biden’s $2 trillion proposal does go as far as setting 100% clean-electricity standard by 2035. This far-left proposal marks the first-time climate change has emerged as a central plank in the Democratic Party’s presidential campaign.

Townhall reports:

The American people are not about to be mobilized into an all-out war against dubious climate change, with price tags like these coupled with repeated blackouts, huger personal sacrifices, and massive joblessness in every sector of the economy – except among government ruling classes.

They’ve already seen news stories about the latest rolling blackouts in California (here, here, here and here) – resulting from one-third of that state’s electricity coming from “renewable” sources, and with a good portion of that being hydroelectric, much of it imported from other states. They must be wondering what their lives, livelihoods and living standards would look like under 100% wind and solar power.

We’ve seen time and time again without fossil fuels and a diverse energy mix, communities face energy shortages and higher electricity bills. The idea to transition our energy sector to 100% renewables is bad economic and energy policy.

Middle-American communities depend on the oil and gas industry for jobs, cheap and reliable energy, and government revenue the industry contributes both locally and nationally. Dismantling the industry that has secured our energy independence to transition to less-reliable and more expensive renewable energy will have dramatic effects across the country, but to energy-dependent communities, it will be ever so apparent.

Biden’s proposed transition puts at risk the nearly 10 million jobs across the country the industry supports and would result in higher electricity bills to households across the country. In the current economic environment, the American people need relief and security, not higher electricity bills and energy shortages.