By Larry Behrens
Nearly everyone has experienced the sinking feeling of seeing the “low gas” light pop-up on the dashboard. The moment is a reminder and warning that without fueling up, we’ll soon be measuring the miles on foot.
Within the last month, that low-fuel light has been flashing on America’s diesel fuel reserves. Sadly, the driver of this country doesn’t seem to care.
For many Americans, particularly those in urban areas, the cost of diesel may not be an issue. They may own a gas-powered vehicle that runs on unleaded fuel or an electric car. Or they may not own a car at all and rely on ride sharing or public transportation.
The truth is our entire world runs on diesel. In fact, there is a better-than-average chance everything in your house and at your favorite store was delivered using diesel. Yes, I’m even talking to those remote workers on Manhattan’s Upper West Side ordering their third latte or kale salad delivered by a hipster on the electric scooter … all made possible by the economic lifeblood called diesel.
When it comes to diesel fuel, America is almost running on empty. Our nation’s diesel reserve is at its lowest point since the Korean War. The price is up 33 percent in just the last month. For some perspective, when President Biden took the oath of office, one gallon of diesel cost $2.70 – or nearly half of the current $5.31 per gallon.
Think about the trucker who delivers the products that will become the DoorDash order of avocado toast for your favorite liberal friend — or your local supermarket for that matter. Those semi-trucks’ gas tanks can hold up 150 gallons of fuel and nearly every truck has two of them. When that anonymous trucker who makes our way of life possible filled up on Inauguration Day in 2021, he paid about $810. Today that same trucker is shelling out $1,593 for the same fill-up. There’s your recipe for inflation.
In January 2021, the inflation rate in the United States was 1.4 percent. By May, it was nearing 5 percent. At the same time, the cost of diesel fuel increased nearly 21 percent. By the end of last year, inflation was at 7 percent and the cost of diesel was up nearly 34 percent … or roughly the same amount the cost of the fuel has increased over the last 30 days. The warning lights are on, and our driver is the reason.
When Joe Biden embraced an “America Last” energy policy, Americans entered a world of pain. Our diesel problem is just the latest symptom of this problem, to which there are solutions. First, American refining capacity should be an easy priority for Washington, D.C. yet Biden’s radical agenda doesn’t allow it. More refineries would mean more crude oil being processed to fuels like diesel, but Joe Biden hates new refineries. Instead the President insists existing refineries work hard to bring down prices even as those facilities are operating at 102 percent. Second, when Biden opened up the fewest acres of land to oil development since President Harry Truman, he made a decision that set us on the road to energy scarcity. Imagine demanding farmers grow more food, and then giving them the least amount of land in 70 years. That’s what Joe Biden has done to fuel production.
Biden promised to end fossil fuels and he’s keeping his promise.
He is doing the near-impossible: He’s delivering energy failures that eclipse Jimmy Carter’s and he’ll do more if we let him. The warning light is on in the middle of a deserted road and the driver isn’t looking for a gas station. It’s time to send him a message through the ballot box. Otherwise, kiss your upper-middle class lifestyle goodbye.
Larry Behrens is the Communications Director for Power The Future, a non-profit that advocates for America’s energy workers. You can find him on Twitter @larrybehrens or you can email him: larry@powerthefuture.com
