In his “Democratic Voices” column of March 31, Rep. George Whitesides takes President Donald Trump to task for ”failing to fully fill the Strategic Petroleum Reserve” which he infers is partly to blame for the current high price of gas. What the congressman cleverly fails to mention is the most significant drawdown in the history of the SPR occurred in 2022, 180 million barrels, under the Democratic leadership of none other than Joe Biden. It was done to partially offset the spike in crude oil prices after Russia invaded Ukraine. That drawdown continued and by mid-July 2023 was down a whopping 288 million barrels, a level not seen since the 1980s.
Congressman Whitesides goes on to point out the level of the SPR is dangerously low, “hovering around 60%.” But, let’s place the blame for the shortage where it belongs, the Democrats and Joe Biden.
Max Morgan
Valencia
