President Biden is leading America to record-breaking domestic oil production, while at the same time delivering the biggest investment in clean energy.
Domestic oil production is on a record pace for 2023:
Here are the monthly totals for US oil production. *Up about a million barrels per day this year.* pic.twitter.com/gNHp7tRkr2
— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) July 22, 2023
Trump and Republicans consistently falsely claim that under President Biden, the United States is not energy independent, or that Biden has cut back oil production. The chart above shows that oil production has grown under Biden, while at the same time, the President has made historic investments in clean energy production.
Republicans have consistently framed the energy conversation in the United States as an either/or. Either the US could produce more clean energy or fossil fuels.
The correct answer has always been that the US can do both. The reality is that the nation is not ready to abandon fossil fuels, but clean energy production is the future.
If The US Is Energy Independent, Why Are Gas Prices So High?
The reason why gas prices are so high is that the oil drilled in the United States doesn’t belong to the United States. The oil actually belongs to the oil companies who place the oil on the open market to be sold around the world. The United States doesn’t have its own oil company or government-run refineries. On federal lands, drilling is leased to the oil companies who pay a leasing fee and then get to keep what they find.
American oil doesn’t belong to the United States, so when Republicans suggest that we drill for more oil, what they are really advocating for is more profit for the oil companies.
Under Joe Biden the United States is energy independent, setting records for oil production, and moving toward a clean energy future.
That’s the difference between having an energy policy instead of screaming drill baby drill while shoving oil company dollars into your pockets.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association