The energy factor

 Let me say first off that I am among those who consider President Biden to be handling the Ukraine crisis admirably overall. His performance stands in stark contrast to the debacle in Afghanistan last August. Biden's played a particularly effective role in fostering Western unity, which has been strengthening in heartening ways. 

But Biden's overall choice of policies to prioritize for focus is hampering his administration from being even more effective, particularly with regard to energy. While he is not a member of the rabidly left wing of his party, the fact is that the party has been aggressively moving left for decades. The likes of Joe Manchin are pariahs in their party in the same way that Adam Kinzinger and Liz Cheney are pariahs in theirs. And Joe Biden is a stalwart Democrat.

A Democrat need not sign on to the Green New Deal to make plain his or her basic concurrence with the underlying belief of the preponderance of his or her fellows - namely, that the planet is undergoing a climate crisis that requires an abrupt abandonment of the fuels that have catalyzed human advancement over the last 150 years. 

The most glaring example so far in this crisis of how this plays out in administration priorities has been the pathetic remarks by John Kerry during a BBC interview in which he said he hoped that Russia's invasion of Ukraine would not affect Putin's supposed interest in being part of the international effort to address climate change. He also jaw-droppingly lamented the increase in greenhouse gas emissions brought on by war.

When asked this morning about the possibility of reversing course on nixing the Keystone XL pipeline and opening up more land for oil and gas leases, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said that even if such a reversal began today - and she added that Biden has myriad reasons for sticking with his position on the pipeline - it would be years before it bore fruit as a major contributor to America's energy picture. She also said that energy companies are not "tapping into" areas for which they currently have leases. 

Assuming she has a point on both counts, the rejoinder would be that going forward with the pipeline and making more leases available is better commenced today than tomorrow, and that there is significant value in the optics of the United States getting serious about pursuing energy independence.

The carve-outs for Russia allowing it to continue selling oil and gas on the world market, even as sanctions are imposed in other areas, does not serve to project an image of seriousness to the countries we want on board to counter Russia. It also makes petroleum products and natural gas more expensive for consumers. Still, we're subjected to Chuck Schumer's blather about oil-company price gouging at a moment of existential crisis.

The president has done a number of things right since last Thursday, but in this area, he has yet to demonstrate the requisite serious in a situation in which doom breathes down our necks. 

Cross-posted at Ordinary Times.