Scalise's opinion column in the New Orleans Advocate of 7/1/21 titled, "U.S. can do better on energy than Biden's agenda of restrictions" is full of the usual GOP lies, mis-information, dis-information and out right BS. But its par for the course for the #2 republican who has no record of accomplishments. The little boy Trump ditto head begins his column with the falsehood of saying Biden banned new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters. The President did no such thing. What he did was pause those leases while the results of a study could be completed before future action is taken.
Scalise then skips to wind energy and suggest we can do more. Well, there is good news for the little boy ditto head. Wind energy is included in Biden's total legislation to deal with infrastructure. And in fact the feasibility of wind farms in the Gulf of Mexico off of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Texas is already in the works and published in the federal register for response from Offshore Wind Companies. The President's goal is to have wind generated electricity for more than 10 million homes by the year 2030. Scalise, Trump and the GOP had the last 4 years to do something about wind energy but did nothing.
Scalise talks about oil industry related jobs in Louisiana that are in danger of being lost under Biden's agenda. Really??? What the little boy forget to mention on purpose is that oil industry related jobs in Louisiana fell to its lowest level in the last 30 years on Trump, Scalise and the GOP's watch. And that took place while Trump and his party said they cut red tape and reduced regulations that would make them more productive. Yeah, right. Well it did not create jobs. The New Orleans Advocate published a chart in its 1/27/21 edition that showed total job employment in Louisiana related to the Oil and Gas industry over a 30 year period from 1990-2020. The chart shows that the greatest employment took place during the Clinton and Obama administrations and the lowest employment took place during the Trump administration. It hit its peak in 1998 under Clinton with 59,500 Jobs and its lowest under Trump with 29,200 jobs in 2020.
The little boy tries to tie the increase in the price of a gallon of gasoline to Biden's policies which have not even passed yet. But the prices actually started their increase last year on Trump's watch because the oil producing countries cut their production to escalate the prices. The oil industry is noted for manipulation by their cutting and lowering production when it is to their advantage.
The bottom line is the oil industry in Louisiana and the nation has done better on the democratic watch and that includes creating jobs and a more stable price for oil and gasoline. President Biden has it right with his balanced proposals on energy. Trump, Scalise and the GOP wasted four years with tax cuts that benefited those who needed them the least and failed to address the problems and issues the country faces today. And their failure is a result of their extreme ideology and a anti-American attitude. President Biden's administration has policy and plans to move the country and its people forward in a new direction and his proposals are based on needs and not ideology.
And that really says it all.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
