An Energy Independent America

For two plus weeks, the world has watched as Ukrainians have fought back on Russian aggression and worked to protect their country from being overtaken by an authoritarian dictator. The global community has issued economic sanctions with the hopes to pressure Putin to surrender and end his unilateral assault on a sovereign nation.

In an evolving response to the crisis, President Biden announced he was banning all Russian energy imports such as coal, gas, and oil. While Russian oil only accounts for 3% US imports, the sanctions will make it harder for Russia to export oil and in turn harder for Putin to use oil sales to finance his attack on Ukraine. While economic sanctions on Russia are meant to hurt Russia, Americans at home are feeling the pressure at the pump as gas prices soar to a record high.

With gas prices soaring and midterms looming, there is an opportunity for the United States to invest in the electricity sector and become energy independent. There has never been a better time for America to assert its independence from the grips of oil oligarchs than now.

Unfortunately, the Biden administration would rather trade one authoritarian for another and is courting Venezuela as a potential oil partner. In an unbelievable turn of events, the administration sent a delegation to Caracas to hammer out a deal to bring Venezuela crude oil to America.

Will we never learn?

The political amnesia on oil partnerships with Venezuela is strong with the Biden administration. As a reminder for readers, back in 2015, former President Barack Obama placed sanctions on Venezuela declaring them a security threat.

When Biden took office last year and announced his climate pledge many called it ‘lofty’ while others saw a glimmer of hope in finally getting to work to solve the climate crisis. Since taking office, Biden’s climate agenda has slowly faded into the background becoming a mere footnote in the administration’s priorities.

Americans are already fatigued and now they’re wallets are taking a beating, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Likewise, the outdated rally cry ‘drill, baby, drill’ is not the answer. More nuclear power, more renewable energy, better battery storage, a modernized grid, and less oil and gas (foreign or domestic) is the way to go. While the federal government is throwing money at problems, greater credits for Electric Vehicle purchases could help the long game. If Biden wants his party to have a shot at maintaining control of Congress come November, he will channel his inner Theodore Roosevelt and seize the moment to create an energy independent America.

The time has come and as my Ukrainian Grandfather used to say, “opportunity doesn’t knock twice.”

Originally written for and published on RealClear Energy.