News Boulderites can use – James Bloodworth: The Progressive Case for Fracking – WSJ.
One consequence is a massive fall in the price of oil just a few years after the words “peak oil” were being bandied around as gospel by environmentalists. Peak oil now looks like one of the most outlandish theories of our era. Rather than contract, the global supply of energy continues to diversify and expand, in no small part because of the boom in American shale.
This ought to put a smile not only on the faces of free-market economists, but liberals and progressives, too. (emphasis added) As America becomes a net exporter of energy, shale could help topple some of the world’s worst regimes.
Color me skeptical that Boulderites and Mr. Bloodworth would agree on which nations belong to the “worlds worst regimes.”
Mr. Bloodworth mentions the environmental mantra twice…
Despite legitimate environmental concerns about fracking and horizontal drilling, the long-term impact of shale on the global oil price means that regimes that have long relied on a single export for their survival are facing a potentially ruinous economic future.
and
This is not to dismiss the environmental concerns regarding shale extraction in urban areas, nor to call for the abandonment of a long-term strategy in the West for the development of green renewables. Yet it is to recognize that American shale producers are engaged in a price war with some of the world’s vilest regimes. In that respect, the left should get on board the fracking revolution. (emphasis added again!)
Not holding my breath that the left will board the fracking revolution anytime soon.
Pretty soon Mr. Bloodworth will be the editor of the Blog “The Right Foot Forward” instead of the “Left Foot Forward.” Perhaps I should visit his blog before I make such an outrageous statement!??
