More Empty Rhetoric

January 27, 2020

A couple weeks ago, Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D) delivered his State of the State address. But, before he could begin, he was interrupted by climate change activists and anti-frackers. The Colorado State Patrol and Denver Police had to intervene to put an end to the disruption. And what did this demonstration accomplish? Nothing. Just more protesting for the sake of protesting.

As Complete Colorado reports:

Governor Polis and Democrat legislators, who hold a ruling majority in both houses, are already committed to aggressive fossil fuel restrictions. The protestors didn’t win any friends at the Capitol or change any minds. If anything, they alienated some legislators and many in the public.

Many of these protesters were affiliated with the eco-left groups “Sunrise Movement” and “Extinction Rebellion”. These groups each supported Proposition 112 on the 2018 ballot, which would have imposed radical restrictions on oil and gas development, and fracking. Power The Future has highlighted “Sunrise Movement” and “Extinction Rebellion”, their tactics, and their threat to our national economy and energy dominance.  

If the voters of Colorado don’t support their agenda and they are protesting a speech in a Democrat-ruled state Capitol, there doesn’t seem to be a tangible objective to these demonstrations. More than anything, this seems to be a demonstration of members of the eco-left taking for granted everything that the natural gas and oil industry provides their state. Fortunately, not all Coloradans have lost sight of these many benefits.

We’ll, I’m a regular person who’s grateful for fossil fuels and fracking, which have lowered the cost of oil and gas and greatly increased its supply, making us independent of fickle foreign sources. Fossil fuels power autos and airplanes, provide heating, electricity, fertilizer, plastics, clothing, cosmetics, medications, petroleum jelly, golf balls, skis, aspirin, tires, dentures, shoes and thousands of other products for which there are no practical or economic substitutes, nor will there be for the foreseeable future.

Sadly, it appears that real, positive change is no longer the point of civil disobedience. Instead, these protesters choose to be blind to the real results that the natural gas and oil industry provide them with every day in favor of unproven talking points. Hopefully this is only a loud minority of those who live in a state that this industry does so much for.