Larry Bell refuses to blame President Trump’s war in Iraq for higher gas prices. — even though the evidence is pretty clear. From his April 22 Newsmax column:
Actions by the United States, directed at Iran, have resulted in the temporary closure of the Strait of Hormuz in the Mideast.
The Strait is a chokepoint controlling about 20% of global oil.
The result appears to be, comparatively speaking, a very brief spike in gas prices in exchange for permanently curtailing a radical regime’s ability to weaponize vital international shipping channels, or develop nuclear weapons to advance its “Death to America, the Great Satan!” commitment.
Nevertheless, former Vice President Kamala Harris would like you to believe that a recent surge in gas prices to over $4.00 (a level not seen since the Biden administration while she was in office when they topped $5) are to be blamed on President Trump and his “war of choice” on Iran.
Recall that Biden raided the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to reduce price pain ahead of 2022 midterm elections . . . oil subsequently replaced by the Trump administration last year.
Bell went on to rage about California clean-air laws affecting oil refineries in the state:
California’s anti-fossil policies, including its cap-and-tax program, low-carbon fuel standard drilling limitations, and a lack of interstate pipelines, are indeed putting both economic and national security at greater risks.
While U.S. crude production has increased by about 50% over the last decade, California’s output has fallen by half.
Rather than produce or use abundant U.S. oil, the state imports about 60% of its crude from overseas, about a third of which comes from the Mideast, with Iran war-disrupted shipping costs contributing about 15 cents per gallon more cost in California than nationally.
California’s gasoline prices have spiked to $5.52 a gallon versus an average of $3.72 a gallon nationally.
Bell didn’t mention that these added regulations on fossil fuels in the state were for the benefit of cleaner air. Instead, he continued to whine: “Regarding U.S. energy, a more economically impactful war is being waged by the left’s climate agenda which for decades has enriched and emboldened a hostile regime threatening to weaponize their oil resources while attacking ours.” Bell failed to explain why preserving the environment is not a worthy goal.