Dagen McDowell: Biden administration should spike energy production to counter high oil, gas prices
FOX Business anchor Dagen McDowell joined 'America's Newsroom' to discuss how higher prices 'naturally correct demand' as Americans grapple with sky-high prices at the pump.
During the 2020 presidential campaign, candidate Joe Biden promised his presidency would be one where "the buck stops here." But now that the pressure’s on, Biden’s done everything but take responsibility. With gas prices going through the roof, Biden’s been quick to shift the blame to war in Ukraine. This is a lie. Biden’s war on American energy created this crisis. This is the Biden Gas Hike, and only American energy can get us out of it.
On his first day in office, Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline, wiping out 11,000 jobs. The same day, he reinstated onerous Obama-era energy regulations and began rolling back policies President Trump used to achieve American energy dominance. He’s throttled U.S. oil and gas production by suspending or halting leases on federal lands and waters. And he’s done everything he can to restrict domestic oil production, from making it more expensive to drill on public lands to announcing new regulations for methane emissions.
FILE – Signage with fuel prices at a Shell gas station in Hercules, California, U.S., on Wednesday, March 9, 2022. The average price of gasoline in the U.S. jumped above $4 a gallon for the first time since 2008 in a clear sign of the energy inflation that hurt consumers since Russia invaded Ukraine. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
He’s only doubling down. Biden’s budget proposal for last year included $120 billion in new taxes attacking the U.S. oil and gas industry. U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland indicated she’d consider a permanent ban on new oil and gas drilling on federal lands. And last April, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm admitted the administration was "reviewing" a full ban on fracking.
BLAMING GAS PRICES ON BIDEN IS ‘FRANKLY UN-AMERICAN,’ DEMOCRAT REP. SAYS
None of this should come as a surprise. Biden spent his entire campaign promising fossil fuels would be "eliminated" if elected. He discouraged investment and created uncertainty for producers. Now Americans are quite literally paying the price.
Earlier this month, U.S. gas prices rose 61 cents in seven days—the largest one-week rise in history. Under Biden, 34 states have hit new record-high gas prices. In more than 30 states, Americans are paying average prices above $4 per gallon, with some parts of the country seeing gas over $7 a gallon. And it’s not just gas that’s costing more. Inflation is making everything more expensive, from kitchen staples like chicken and eggs to clothing and used cars.
Energy is just the latest example of how Biden consistently puts Americans last. His policies have wiped out American jobs in the oil and gas industries, even as he begs authoritarian regimes like Iran and Venezuela—who couldn’t care less about the environment—for oil.
Americans can’t afford these prices, and it’s showing in the polls. A new survey by ABC News found that an astonishing 70% disapprove of Biden’s handling of gas prices as well as inflation. A CBS survey found similar results, with 62% disapproving of the gas hike and 69% disapproving of the inflation surge. Forty-six percent of voters say the economy or inflation is the most important issue facing the country.
WASHINGTON POST'S JENNIFER RUBIN CALLS VOTERS ‘STUPID’ FOR BLAMING BIDEN ON RISING GAS PRICES
What’s even worse than the toll these prices are taking on Americans’ wallets? The condescension with which Biden and his administration have treated their concerns. Biden waved off questions about gas prices, insisting he "can't do much right now." White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki claimed reopening the Keystone XL pipeline "would not address any of the problems we’re having currently."
UNITED STATES - MARCH 8: Gas prices are displayed outside an Exxon station in Washington on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. (Getty Images)
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg suggested that Americans save gas money by purchasing an electric vehicle—which run $56,000 on average. And when Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm was asked about Biden’s plans to bring down gas prices, she laughed. These elitist answers are insulting to hard-working Americans struggling to make ends meet.
But the pain is the point. Democrats are exploiting rising gas prices for their radical green agenda, and they’re not afraid to say the quiet part out loud. Last week, Biden said Russia’s war on Ukraine "should motivate us to accelerate a transition to clean energy." Psaki asserted "the rise in gas prices over the long term makes an even stronger case for doubling down on" radical green energy policies. And when discussing rising gas prices, Granholm said "we’re working through an energy transition … the reality is we have to take some time to get off of oil and gas."
Energy is just the latest example of how Biden consistently puts Americans last. His policies have wiped out American jobs in the oil and gas industries, even as he begs authoritarian regimes like Iran and Venezuela—who couldn’t care less about the environment—for oil. They’ve compromised our national security by making us dependent on other countries to power America. And they’ve caused gas prices to skyrocket—all in the name of their radical agenda.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Meanwhile, Americans are going broke. That’s why the RNC has launched an initiative to turn voter frustration about the Biden Gas Hike into votes. Our teams across the country are registering fed-up voters at gas stations. We’ve already held voter registration drives in Arizona and North Carolina, and in the coming weeks, we’ll be holding more events in California, Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Michigan, Maine, Ohio, Texas, and Wisconsin.
Democrats are responsible for the surge at the gas pump. Republicans are going to make sure voters know it, and electing Republicans is the first step to unleashing American energy.
Best of Opinion
Get the recap of top opinion commentary and original content throughout the week.
By entering your email and clicking the Subscribe button, you agree to the Fox News Privacy Policy and Terms of Use, and agree to receive content and promotional communications from Fox News. You understand that you can opt-out at any time.