Of all the threats to the United States, reliance on foreign oil emerged as the greatest danger. Until President Donald Trump changed the country’s policies toward energy independence, the country was at the mercy of rogue nations such as Venezuela, Russia, and Iran. Just a cursory look at the former world oil leaders leaps out as a cautionary tale.
Venezuela is a failed socialist experiment that has descended into economic chaos. Russia remains America’s global military rival. Iran’s regime holds rallies chanting “death to America” and sponsors terrorism around the world. Yes, oil independence ranks among the highest national security issues.
Among the true facts that the Obama Administration withheld from everyday Americans is that our oil industry was under siege during his lame duck years. The OPEC cartel, along with Russia, flooded the market with oil surpluses in an effort to drive down prices and bankrupt American companies. The rival entities recognized the Obama Administration was anti-oil even though companies had discovered vast reserves in regions such as Texas. Thanks to innovation, and President Trump changing the policy direction, American companies weathered the economic storm. Today, the nation continues to expand its oil independence.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), domestic crude oil production topped 12.2 million barrels per day in April. That figure was another uptick from 11.9 million barrels in December 2018, and continues to outpace expectations. So-called experts have consistently under-predicted the crude oil growth inspired by the Trump Administration’s “energy dominance” policies. Reports claimed the country would not achieve today’s levels until deep into 2019. It appears domestic crude will exceed the 13.1 million predicted by the end of 2020 this year. Until President Trump began his historic march that put the U.S. as the number one oil producing nation in the world, crude oil had never reached even 10 million barrels per day.
Although the fake news media declines to report on American oil independence, there is no escaping the hard data of success. According to the EIA, the U.S. utilized a total of 17.67 million barrels of daily petroleum products in 2018.
The top two product groups reportedly break down as follows:
- Crude oil — 10.95 million barrels per day
- Natural gas liquids — 4.35 trillion cubic feet per day
Under Pres. Trump’s quick policy pivot toward higher crude oil production, the country achieved oil independence in July of 2018. Today’s surplus has led to crude oil exports and the ability to sanction oil giants such as Iran, Venezuela, and Russia for misdeeds. Many remember how Obama appeared weak-kneed before the rogue leaders of top oil producing nations. Those days are over unless President Trump is not re-elected.
Today’s oil dominance has allowed Pres. Trump an almost unprecedented level of national security. He has parlayed that into a stronger pro-Israel position, and lucrative partnerships with Saudi Arabia. No longer requiring the benefit of Canadian oil, the president enjoyed a position of strength as he and his economic team reworked the failed NAFTA policy, and replaced it with the more favorable USMCA trade deal.
Oil independence has “allowed the president to make foreign policy decisions that simply were not available to previous presidents, at least not in my lifetime,” Deputy Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette reportedly said. “The freedom that this allows this president, and future presidents … is simply stunning.”
“Our foreign policy choices are affected by our new position in the marketplace,” Brouillette reportedly said. “Those decisions would not have been made if we were still dependent upon others to provide oil and gasoline to the United States.”
The country’s growth in sectors such as natural gas production has also added to its energy dominance. Current rates of natural gas stand at 32 trillion cubic feet per day. The EIA reports the country sits on enough reserves to last upwards of 80 years.
As President Trump entered office, he didn’t just call for energy independence, he called for “Energy Dominance.” Everyday Americans can consider that promise kept. However, America’s winning ways will come to a swift end if a Democrat prevails in the 2020 election.
~ Conservative Zone
Democrats want big government programs but fail to realize if you don’t have a dynamic economy you can’t pay for them. Obama is an “empty suit” with no knowledge of economics!
I love the whole global climate change debate. Five years ago they called it “global warming” that was until we started setting record levels for cold. Now it’s “climate change.” One billionaire said it best. “If the climate is changing and the seas are now rising then why are banks continuing to finance homes built right along the coastal areas and large rivers, even low lying areas.” Don’t you think that it would be in their best interest not to finance those properties since they are at great risk. It’s a hoax. Period. Researchers want more money and like schools and education will say anything to get it. I mean hey, fear sells. Just ask any lawyer, doctor, or insurance company.
Contextualizing American security as somehow a function of increased fossil fuel production is short-sighted and isn in fact, a threat to security. The American military, notwithstanding the tunnel-vision, industry-friendly stance of the
president (for now), has recognized GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE as a major threat to the security of this nation. Trump’s promotion of fossil fuel dependency delays the time when, ultimately, even the most adamant climate change deniers will have to acknowledge the reality of what is happening to this planet and the central role of carbon dioxide emissions in global warming. By then we likely will have passed the point of no return and lamenting our failure to sensibly act to avoid the crisis!
Reeeeeaaalllly……… Hmmm. So we do not have to rely on other nations, many whom are at odds with the United States, for our energy needs, thus we do not bow down to them or tolerate their enmity towards us because we don’t need their oil – we are basically self sufficient. THAT is short sighted? So now ‘global climate change’ is the threat to the country and the military has recognized this? Since when and where is the documentation to support this? I am sorry, Yower, but climate change on a global scale has happened throughout the WHOLE history of the earth and much of it BEFORE man came into existence… And, if you think God is going to let us puny humans ruin His creation, you had better think again. God told us to go and multiply AND use the resources (‘fill the earth and subdue it’). And in this part, I do agree with you, for God also said the manage the earth and not misuse the resources. But again, God made climate change and neither you nor I nor any other human can do a thing about it as there is nothing proven that this climate change is all human driven….
The US has been a net energy exporter for at least the last 5 years, so the assertion that we actually need more domestic production for domestic consuption is BS. For at least the last 10 years the military has been moving to wind and solar because of the vulnerabilty of the grid, and is also using electric cars and trucks as much as possible for on-base use. Then there was something on one of the TV science programs about the effort to develop a bio based jet fuel which is in the testing stage, and this program reported that it had avantages over the petro based fuel, and many states are going to be totally renewable by 2040 or 2050.
In the mean time, here in CO, there seems to be a rush by the administration to lease all of the public lands possible to the oil and gas industry where the products will go to the export market. Look at the major contibutors to the GOP and you will find the Koch Bros who own and operate and supply coal fired power plants, and the other big oil and gas intrests. This is beginning to sound much like Sec. of Interior Falls trying to sell the Naval Oil Supply in WY which was called the Teapot Dome Scandal at the time.
Now we need to start recycling plastic, made from oil, back into oil. It would eliminate all the plastic pollution or much of it and create a new source of energy. Ditto with garbage that we could turn into methane. The main component of natural gas.
Thank you Predident Trump for putting America First. Built us stronger, Foreign Leaders once again Respect Our Country, WE THE PEOPLE STABD WITH YOU. We support building THE WALL. We are being invaded illegally, if you must use force ALL OTHER COUNTRIES DON’T ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN. GOD BLESS YOU AND OUR GREAT COUNTRY.
The TRUE facts, not the Fake News facts about our climate change situation prove that our carbon dioxide emissions are not a threat to our security. A recent example used is having a stadium with the capacity of 100,000 seats being occupied with just 40 seats of carbon dioxide. Its another Fake News, progressive conspiracy trying to get you to march to the beat of their drum. …. like the ice caps are shrinking and the polar bear population is following in suit.
It’s become a religion, giving someone something to rally to. It’s been fed to our children in all the schools and if you speak against it your tagged as a black sheep… while actually your the only free thinker in the crowd…. who researches the facts and knows the truth. Research the facts… it is written…for when you know the Truth… the Truth will set you free.!!
The above was brought to you by the Oil and Gas Industry. Our legal ban on exporting oil and gas that was imposed during the OPEC oil embargo of the 1970s was repealed at least 5 years ago and since then we have been exporting our energry to other countries and making the oil and gas industry richer, possibly at the expense of our long term national security because when these are sold they will not be in reserve for the future of the US, and even worse for the US and its people is the possiblity that this administation has been making decisions that favor the domestic oil and gas indurty. When Trump went against all advice and backed out of the treaty with Iran he reimposed the sanctions which keep other countries from buying its oil, and with the notice that sanctions on those countries, such as China who have been buying their oil will soon be enforced in the last few days, our prices at the pump have increeased, so the oil and gas industry will be taking more of our paychecks. Then there is our policy regarding Venezuala which has proven reserves that are greater than ours and is a competitor on the world market for oil, so if we can keep it bottled up, then our oil and gas industry will have one less source of compettion.
Meanwhile, in the West where I live, there is more and more public land being leased to these big oil and gas companies so that they can export more since, at the present the domestic demand is being met with low priced natural gas, so if they can selll at a higher price, they will also make more money from the US public.
I think that we should look at the future needs of the US and make sure that there will be enough domestic oil and gas before we sell it and risk our future security.
It amazes me that such blatant lies are spread on this site. We could have gas prices as low as 50 cents a gallon if we stopped exporting our oil. Our oil industry is allowed to ravage our country and destroy our land and ruin the water of many cities to Frack for oil we don’t need to ship it overseas where the price per gallon is higher and enriches the oil tycoons. We have been sending billions of gallons of American oil overseas for years to line the pockets of these oil owners. Trump is not doing anything to help America. He is furthering the destruction of our environment to enrich the industry that is destroying our environment for profit and NOTHING but profit.