A Better East Texas: Russian oil

TYLER, Texas (KLTV) - Gas prices continue to increase. That may be the only data point that our political leaders will agree on. But the causes of the increases continue to be questioned.

President Biden announced that we are banning the import of Russian oil and gas. He also stated that this ban will continue to cause prices at the pump to increase as a result of the reduction of oil in the markets. But the U.S. gets less than ten percent of our oil from Russia, so really how much impact should the ban have on our gas prices. Sorry, Mr. President but gas prices have been increasing well before the Russian war with Ukraine.

Much of the increases have been a result of energy policy by the Biden administration. But they just won’t own that part of it. They say they want to impact climate change and thus policy is leading us towards that end. But when we have to import oil from other countries, through massive fuel-burning tankers, trains, and trucks when much of that same oil is available domestically, isn’t that move ultimately contributing more carbon gas into the atmosphere?

If a more environmentally friendly America is needed, then let the free market move us there. We need short and long-term solutions to regain control of our own oil future so we need efficient ways to get the oil that we have in our backyard. That is the only reasonable way to lessen foreign dependence and respect more gradual free-market movements, and that will make for a Better East Texas.

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