Ready to give up petroleum?
During a “Face the Nation” TV interview last month, Vice President Kamala Harris was asked what she sees as the “biggest national security challenge confronting the U.S.”
Harris responded, “Frankly, one of them is our democracy.”
Huh?
She later clarified that she meant “threats to our democracy” (whatever THAT entails) but will someone please remind Kamala that the United States is a constitutional republic?! If SHE doesn’t know the difference between a republic and a democracy, how can we expect school children, college students and average voters to know?
Rather than rag on Harris for that first response, however, I’ll focus on the second issue she claimed keeps her up at night – the “climate crisis.” Yep, she calls it a huge threat to our national security. Of course, she didn’t explain why (shocker!), but instead rambled on about how the climate threat requires us to “be a member of-of-of a community of nations that share values and priorities.”
Again, huh?
This type of mindless rhetoric, interspersed with her infamous cackle of insecurity, is no doubt the reason for the V.P.’s tanking approval rating. At 28%, it’s trending 10 points lower than even Biden’s.
Basically, she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. She’s totally out of her depth. That’s what happens when positions are filled based on skin color, gender and ethnicity rather than qualifications. Identity politics is a self-inflicted plague on the entire Biden administration, which helps explain their one-after-the-other disastrous policy decisions.
After watching the “Face the Nation” interview, I searched on Google for “biggest threat is climate change.” VP Harris’ disastrous interview came up at the top of page one, followed by these headlines:
“Climate change losses piled up again in 2021” (an article about global insurance losses from extreme weather “fueled by climate change”) — Yahoo News.
“U.S. must continue fight against climate change” — Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
“The case for going to war against climate change” — Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.
“Climate change is the greatest threat to humanity. Here’s how filmmakers have tried to make sense of it all.” — Washington Post.
The more the news media accepts and projects the notion of human-caused shifts in the weather, the more amped up the hysteria.
Frankly, most Americans are not losing sleep over climate change. Yes, we battle heat, cold, drought, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes… and always have. Instead, what worries us on a day-to-day basis is the escalating cost of gasoline, home heating fuels, rent and groceries, coupled with job and freedom losses from COVID restrictions.
But putting aside health and housing issues, let’s talk about petroleum. Joe Biden and his leftist pals seem to think that we should get rid of this commodity altogether. In the name of “climate crisis, he’s been shutting down pipelines, oil drilling leases and other fossil-fuel-related production/distribution capabilities. Evidently, he thinks we can power everything on sunshine and wind… whether or not the sun is shining or the wind blowing. Try it on Air Force One, Joe!
Our ever-so-wise legislators in Sacramento recently decreed that gas-powered yard maintenance equipment must be retired within the next few years, to save the planet. Who needs a gasoline lawnmower or leaf blower when you can pop in a rechargeable battery? Anyone working in the gardening business knows that such equipment would require a lot of electric power — multiple expensive batteries just to do the work on one house. And those batteries take hours to recharge.
The legislation also applies to chainsaws, power washers and, get this, generators. So, when Edison shuts off your electricity during high winds or summer heat waves, you won’t be able to produce your own power. Even if you have solar panels, they don’t work at night!
The Coalition for Clean Air (www.ccair.org) is pushing to rid California of diesel engines on trucks and commercial harbor craft (think tugboats, ferries, sport fishing vessels). Just try a long-haul delivery in a big rig when you have to make multiple stops, hours at a time, to boost power at recharging stations. And out on the ocean, what consequence might a fishing boat operator suffer with a dead battery?
Mention the word “oil,” and Americans envision fuel for cars, trucks and buses. About 23% of energy is consumed for transportation purposes, but what about the other 77%? Where does that go? Into products you don’t associate with petroleum, such things as eyeglasses, cell phones, shampoo, toothbrushes, deodorant, shaving cream, hair color, clothing, shoes, luggage, balloons, crayons, paint, tires, carpeting, fertilizer, insect repellent, asphalt, disposable diapers, aspirin, anesthetics, latex gloves, pacemakers, etc. For a more extensive list, check here: https://whgbetc.com/petro-products.pdf.
According to The American Petroleum Institute, 96% of products we use daily contain ingredients from petroleum. Without crude oil, paved roads would crumble. And while you might be willing to give up your cell phone or deodorant (yeah, right!), try walking shoeless on dirt roads. Welcome to the Green Dark New Deal.
Patricia Suzanne is a professional writer, retired small business owner, and conservative Republican activist. “Right Here, Right Now” appears Saturdays and rotates among local Republicans.
