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GOP talking points are not always fact-based
To the editor:
Stephen Sellers, in his letter to the editor of Tuesday, March 22, restates many of the Republican talking points. For the most part, these talking points are untrue.
1. Our country WAS NOT energy-independent during the Trump administration. In 2019, the United States imported a total of 3.319 billion barrels, 1.613 billion of which were from Canada. From 2016-2018 the U.S. imported oil from: Canada, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Colombia, Iraq, Ecuador, Nigeria, Brazil and the United Kingdom, as well as over 80 other countries, according to World Population Review.
In 2018, the U.S. for the first time exported more oil than it imported. The same is true of September and October of 2019. In 2020 exports dropped. These imports and exports change and vary according to fluctuations in the oil market. But, to sum up, the U.S. imported oil from many countries during the Trump years.
2. Mr. Sellers states that "Democratic politicians are all very wealthy…They are completely out of touch with the average Joe." Although I generally stay away from "whatabout-ism," I feel that I need to remind Mr. Sellers that President Donald Trump is worth $2.5 billion, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell $35 million, Senator Ted Cruz $4 million, Senator Lindsey Graham $105 million.
As for being in touch with the average Joe, I remind Mr. Sellers that 30 Republican senators voted against the infrastructure bill, including Sen. Toomey of Pa., a bill that will certainly affect the average Pennsylvanian. The American Rescue Plan, a bill that provided stimulus payments, child tax credits, earned income tax credits, lowered health insurance premiums, and other benefits for average Americans, passed the House and the Senate with NO Republican votes.
3. Higher prices at the pump and in the supermarket are affecting all of us. These higher prices were expected to happen once the lockdown ended and demand for goods increased (It is worth noting that Republican governors as well as Democratic instituted COVID lockdowns, including Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas). Production went down during the pandemic, and it takes time for supplies of goods to catch up with demand. Oil prices ARE NOT determined by any current president; they are determined, again, by supply and demand.
4. The Green New Deal is NOT a law. It is an aspirational goal of the progressive wing of the Democratic party. The GND was voted down in Congress in 2019, and was resubmitted for consideration in 2021.
5. Mr. Sellers, in speaking of solar and wind energy, states that "the sun does not always shine and the wind does not always blow." This sentiment was also stated by the former president. Solar and wind facilities use the energy stored in lead batteries to reduce power fluctuations and increase reliability to deliver on-demand power. They store excess energy when demand is low and release it when demand is high, to ensure a steady supply of energy to millions of homes and businesses. Emphasis should be placed on the word "store" here.
6. "There is still the weakness shown by this administration." I would like to ask Mr. Sellers what he would have had President Biden do differently in reference to Putin's amassing troops outside Ukraine, prior to the war. President Biden made it clear to Putin that the U.S. would not agree to Ukraine's never being allowed to join NATO and NATO military equipment never being positioned in former Soviet states. He worked to bring all of NATO together in opposition to Russia's buildup, an effort that, I submit, President Trump would not have done, as he worked throughout his presidency to undermine NATO.
Since the war began, President Biden has worked to support Ukraine with billions of dollars in military equipment and humanitarian support, while protecting the U.S. by refusing to "close the sky" over Ukraine and avoiding a military conflict with Russia. I think Mr. Sellers would agree that the U.S. president's first responsibility is to the security of the U.S. from attack by other countries.
As I have begged in numerous letters to the editor, I ask Mr. Sellers to please state FACTS in writing to the editor.
Joan D. Loewen
Lewistown