The woke Left is waging war on cheap energy: CA gubernatorial candidate

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The radical Left is waging war on 'cheap and abundant energy': Environmental expert

Best-selling author of 'Apocalypse Never' Michael Shellenberger discusses the Left's reaction to soaring gas prices on 'Jesse Watters Primetime.'

The Left's restrictions on oil and gas production in the United States damage the country from an economic, environmental and national security standpoint, California gubernatorial candidate and environmental expert Michael Shellenberger told Fox News on Thursday.

"The fact of the matter is, abundant energy makes us wealthy, it makes us free," the best-selling author of "Apocalypse Never," who is running as an Independent, said on "Jesse Watters Primetime."

"It makes us prosperous, and it's also good for the natural environment. We need leadership to expand oil and gas production in the United States not just for economic reasons at home, but also for environmental, and now we can see for national security reasons because Europe became so dependent on Russian oil and gas."

Americans are experiencing the highest gas prices since the 2008 financial crisis, with the national gas price average reaching more than $4 per gallon. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

THE LEFT'S POLICIES DESTROYED ENERGY INDEPENDENCE ACHIEVED UNDER TRUMP

Because of the Left's resistance to energy independence, "ordinary people are suffering both in terms of gasoline, natural gas … to heat and for cooking in their homes, and also for electricity," Shellenberger said.

The Left's environmental policies are misguided, he said, noting that the United States has been able to reduce carbon emissions by 22 percent since 2005 by switching from coal to natural gas.

Shell gas pump showing high gas prices in Lafayette, California, November 25, 2021. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

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"They are just proposing to increase taxes and then give us and buy us off with some coupons, some rebates, opening up the strategic petroleum reserve," he added. "The problem is that the radical woke Left has been waging war on cheap and abundant energy. We need those pipelines. We need those liquefied natural gas terminals that we can send our abundant natural gas to Asia and Europe."