Varney, in a Times Picayune commentary of 11/3/14 titled, "Crusade Against Fracking Utterly Crazy" tries to justify a Republican Senate report that says, "Obama and His Left Wing Environmental Allies Have Declared War On America's Energy Sector." He then goes on to show his ignorance concerning the subject matter. (Reports by republicans on committee matters are known to be defective. Remember Benghazi, The IRS and etc.)
First of all most fracking operations are done on the state level and not the federal level so fracking is regulated by the states who are involved. Varney has forgotten that it is the property owners and citizens of St. Tammany Parish that oppose fracking in their Parish, not the President. Varney also talks about production being down on federal land but forgets to mention that Oil and Gas production in the United States is at its highest level in many, many years and the United States is less dependent on foreign oil today than 10 years ago and it has happened on President Obama's watch. Does that sound like a War against America's energy sector?
Varney goes on to fairy tale land to rail against government regulations for the energy industry. Well lets do a little comparison. The B.P. Offshore blowout affected many people, including 11 rig workers killed. It also was an environmental disaster. Federal regulations are holding B.P. liable and the federal courts are inforcing those regulations with fines and penalties. Whereas for the past 40 plus years state regulations have been ignored by both the State of Louisiana and the Oil industry for their rape of the Louisiana environment with their onshore drilling operations. The Levee Board had to sue and Jindal has done everything he can to block thesuit.
The bottom line is the Oil and Gas industry has had its best years under Democratic administrations and the price of a barrel of oil and gallon of gasoline has been at its most reasonable level for the people under Democratic administrations also. Varney is a ditto head conservative republican for the same reason as his cohorts. They have nothing positive to talk about concerning the Bush 43 administration so what are they to do? Well, go on the attack against the President and any democrat in general, government regulations and those who care about the environment. Its the broken record of a party with no positive accomplishments. Varney should have more respect for his readers. When you think you are elite there is no character or courage.
See my previous commentary:
Drilling Offshore Louisiana In The Gulf of Mexico: Facts and Nothing But The Facts dated 7/22/2011
The Republican Trademark: High Oil and Gas Prices dated 5/15/2008.
This commentary written by John Lucia.
