Kerry to Alaska’s Energy Workers: “Just Get a(nother) Job!”

February 2, 2021

At the end of a week that saw Alaska’s energy community turned on its collective head by one executive order after another, it was the Biden administration’s “International Climate Czar” who provided the last damaging blow.

Speaking as part of Biden’s “Climate Day festivities”, where the eco-left gleefully watched as the new administration proclaimed nearly every one of their misguided policies as new regulation, Kerry was asked about the fossil fuel workers feeling attacked by the new policies.  His answer?

“What President Biden wants to do is make sure those folks have better choices, that they have alternatives, that they can be the people to go to work to make the solar panels,”

Aside from being completely tone-deaf, it was insulting.

Part of the impetus for the Alaskans who leave their villages to work in oil, gas and mining across our state is the chance to finish their two-week shift and return to their culture, their community and their extended families.  Their two weeks off may include going whaling, heading to fish camp or leading their family in other subsistence activities.

The last time I checked, Alaska had very few solar panel factories, and for much of rural Alaska, basic business necessities are scarce, so the chances of factories popping up in the near future are slim to none.

But John Kerry doesn’t care about Alaska.  He talks a good game, but his walk is weak.  For a guy who once said, “America deserves a real discussion about real policy”, he sure does forget that real policy and real discussion need to involve real problems and real solutions as well. 

John Kerry and the rest of the Biden administration may not have started with one, but they created a real problem these past two weeks; that’s for certain.  Then, their lame attempts at forging real discussions about real policies, in hopes of real solutions, are leaving Alaskan energy workers in the bitter cold for now.