b'E d i t o rN o single economic factor has a broader impact on the cost of bucked the environmental wing of his party and allowed fracking to flourish, boast-everythingthan the price of oil and gas, and under the current world order, the countries that cause most of the regional trou-ble are funded, almost entirely, by national oil and natural gas salesthose would be Russia, Iran, and Venezuela. China is the seventh-largest oil and gas producer in the world, but it is the second-largest consumer, the result of which is that it is also the worlds top oil importer. During the 2010s, the U.S., Saudi Arabia, and Russia were roughly tied as the worlds top producers, year-to-year, but we pulled aheadfar aheadas the top producer in the world, at almost 14 million barrels-per-daying of gas under $2 a gallon in his successful 2012 reelection campaign. President (bpd), thanks to Texas fracking and exports through the Port of Corpus Christi.Donald Trump strongly supported U.S. energy production, and promises to do so Every federal office holder in Washington, D.C., understands the dynamic that di- if elected againalthough energy independence was achieved under Obama in rectly links the cost of a barrel of oil to the two most important issues on the mindsJanuary 2016, when the first tanker load of Texas crude departed the Port of Corpus of 90%-plus of the U.S. electoratethe cost of living and war and peace. Yes, theChristi after the 40-year federal export ban was lifted.President of the United States has a great influence over the cost of domestic ener- President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris vowed to kill the U.S. fossil gy production, first with control over the Department of Energy and the Environ- fuel industry in their 2020 Democratic primaries, and among other actions upon mental Protection Agency, and second by what the President says publicly abouttaking office, they signed a failed electric vehicle mandate and canceled drilling his policy toward U.S. oil and gas production.leases on federal land. Gas prices soared for over a year, but after an apparent call President George W. Bush was the failed Texas oil man who was funded by suc- from his old boss, U.S. oil and natural gas production is again at an all-time highcessful Texas oil men, and under whose watch the cost of a gallon of gas crushedwith gas prices timed to be as low as possible in the peak of the election season.all records at $4.11 in July 2008. W turned out to be a boon to the oil indus- BeyondholdingAmericasenemiesatbay,andbeyondkeepinginflationata tryespecially that of Saudi Arabia, 19 of whose citizens got the whole War onless-painful level, the effects of worldwide energy dominancecompletely achiev-Terror ball rolling in 2001while U.S. domestic production was stuck in a rut ofable when all domestic reserves are consideredis the most important goal that less than 6 million bpd. Understanding that vital connection, domestic crude oilour country should undertake. With low oil and gas prices, the cost ofevery-production soared to almost 13 million bpd under President Barack Obama, whothinggoes down, while our enemies can no longer fund their wars.The Editor24THE COASTAL BEND MAGAZINE TheCoastalBend.com'