Obama's Energy Policy Hurting Economy and Environment, Harvard Biologist Argues
'More Immoral to Hold Back Economy, Force People Into Poverty Than Drilling for Oil'
A Harvard biologist who has worked on environmental issues in the U.S. Senate for former conservative Sen. Gordon Humphrey (R-NH) has claimed that President Barack Obama's green technology push is actually causing more damage than good to the environment.
Jonathan L. Gal, who also owns and maintains The Galatian Free Press blog, posted a detailed analysis of how Obama, Al Gore and other green energy "venture capitalists" are leaving Americans "enslaved" by high gas prices that are supposed to encourage consumers to turn away from gas and focus on alternative sources of energy.
In last week's address to the public, Obama called on Congress to end $4 billion in subsidies to oil and gas companies, and invest in clean energy instead, arguing that now is the time to begin decreasing the nation's dependence on oil.
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"We've been handing out these kinds of taxpayer giveaways for nearly a century. And outside Congress, does anyone really think that's still a good idea?" Obama asked.
"We should be investing in the technology that's building the cars and trucks and jets that will prevent us from dealing with these high gas prices year after year after year," the president added.
But in his article, Gal argues that the U.S.economy will continue facing significant problems and might even be heading toward a disaster like Greece if oil and gas prices are not addressed soon. The Harvard biologist explains how the cost of gas affects every aspect of the American economy, and suggests that it would be impossible to get out of the crisis unless citizens are allowed to breathe under more normal prices again – such as GOP Presidential candidate Newt Gingrich's $2.50 gas policy.
In a follow-up interview with The Christian Post, Gal said that Obama is not helping the environment, as he claims, because his policies are not global solutions.
"They are misguided policies, driven by emotion and vote-getting, rather than rational analysis of the interests of the USA. They are intended for the USA, but they do nothing but cause harm to this great nation," Gal explained.
One way the former Senate aid proposes to lower these prices is to get Americans to move away from foreign oil dependancy and implement safe fracking technology in North Dakota, which he claims has a 25 times larger oil supply than Saudi Arabia.
Gal explained that increased drilling would actually help the environment in the longterm much more than the current green energy focus Obama is imposing.
"I am not some long-time supporter of big oil and the old energy industry who doesn't give a hoot about the environment, as one might surmise from the coming attack on Obama's environmental policies," Gal writes on his website. "Rather, I am a 'Green Republican.' I have worked in the U.S. Senate as an environmental research intern. I care about the environment. I care about clean air and clean water. In short, I care about good stewardship of the Lord's great earth."
Gal insists that changing America's gas and oil strategy and rebuilding the U.S. economy will directly help the environment and in global humanitarian efforts. As the U.S., which has been a leader in humanitarian aid for decades, regains its financial momentum and more and more citizens get back on their feet, worldwide efforts will again benefit from an increase in American's generous contributions and donations.
Addressing how to best tackle the issue of responsible harvesting of energy and other natural resources, Gal shared with CP that it is actually better to focus on more aggressive harvesting of low cost energy resources, rather than spending more money on high cost and less efficient methods, such as wind power.
"The lower the price of energy, the more water can be purified for human needs. De-salinization and/or long distance transportation of ocean and rain water are needed to irrigate the driest parts of the country, for agriculture and for human consumption. Both de-salinization and long distance transportation are very energy intensive processes that can be made cheaper by accessing lower cost energy resources," Gal said.
The biologist went on to explain that the development of new technology that can better serve the environment can only happen when the economy is strong, not when it is weak.
"A roaring economy, with a strong stock market, and low fuel prices is the best environment for innovation, because people feel comfortable spending money on innovation. When times are tough, on the other hand, it is more difficult to raise money for innovation. Obama should focus first on reducing gas prices and regaining a strong economy and then, second, on changing the energy industry," he elaborated.
"It is far more immoral to hold back this economy and force tens of millions of people into poverty, than it is to drill for oil and gas," Gal reasoned.
