Republican politicians in the United States are increasingly criticizing the energy strategy of the Joe Biden administration amid continuing rising fuel prices.
According to the American Automobile Association, the cost of gasoline in the country has grown by 40% since the beginning of the year and is at a seven-year high of $ 3.14 per gallon ($ 0.83 per liter), while in California the price reaches $ 4.31 ($ 1.14 per liter). liter).
Thus, Senator Ted Cruz accused the US president of the fact that his energy policy "helps Russia" and also leads to job cuts in the United States.
“Where is the logic here?
Biden wants to provide more money and jobs for Russia and Iran.
And at the same time, it is cutting those same blue-collar jobs in America.
Why? ”- wrote Cruz on Twitter.
How does this make sense?
Biden wants more $$ and jobs for Russia & Iran.
And is simultaneously killing those same blue-collar jobs in America.
Why ??
https://t.co/4M1FteLkoR
- Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) July 10, 2021
Thus, the Republican commented on an editorial column in The Wall Street Journal on July 6, which expressed the opinion that the explicit goal of Biden's policy is to reduce oil and gas production in the United States, "limiting the global supply of fossil fuels in the name of combating climate change."
"However, now his team is pleading with the OPEC oil cartel to increase oil production so that gasoline prices in the United States under Biden do not rise even more and do not exceed the level already reached," the publication says.
The publication recalled that another jump in prices occurred after the participants in the OPEC + meeting could not agree on new conditions for oil production.
On July 10, an article was published on the American conservative political website RedState, the author of which stated that if Joe Biden is trying to weaken the position of the United States in the energy sector relative to the rest of the world ("especially Russia"), then he has already "exhausted almost all possibilities somehow harm. "
“Before our eyes, Biden has shaken our position in the energy sector, hitting the fossil fuel industry and disrupting the Keystone XL pipeline in the interest of tackling climate change and realizing the green agenda.
In connection with the suspension of work on this pipeline, lawsuits have been filed against it.
Its clear goal is to reduce oil production in our country, ”the journalist writes.
At the same time, the publication emphasizes that the head of the White House "made exceptions from sanctions without any problems and cleared the way" to complete the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.
"It turns out that for Biden, American oil and gas is bad, and expanding Russia's control in the energy sector is good," the author of RedState concludes.
He also recalled that the other day, White House press secretary Jen Psaki, answering a journalist's question about the reason for the impressive rise in fuel prices, referred to "seasonal fluctuations."
Keystone XL Pipeline Construction Site
Reuters
© Todd Korol
Earlier, in early June, Republican leader on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Jim Risch, said it was "difficult to understand" why the Biden administration canceled the Keystone XL pipeline, but made an exemption from sanctions for Nord Stream 2.
“It is a good idea to reactivate the Keystone project by investing resources in strengthening US energy security and creating jobs.
Why is it bad for the United States to have access to natural gas, but normal in the case of Russia? ”Said the congressman.
"Multi-billion dollar gift"
Recall that the Republicans criticized Biden's decision to abandon the application of sanctions restrictions against the operator of the Nord Stream-2 project - the company Nord Stream 2 AG - and its CEO Matthias Warnig, as well as other employees.
This was stated in a statement by US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, which was published on the State Department's website on May 19.
As the diplomat emphasized then, such a decision "meets the national interests" of the United States.
“Today's actions demonstrate the commitment of the European Energy Security Administration, in line with the president's pledge to restore relations with our European allies and partners,” he said.
At the same time, Blinken stressed that Washington will continue to "oppose the completion" of Nord Stream 2.
However, Jim Risch called this decision wrong.
The politician said that Washington thus puts the interests of Germany and Russia above the interests of American allies in Central, Eastern and Northern Europe.
He also called on the Biden administration to correct this "mistake" before it was too late.
In turn, Ted Cruz then called the refusal of the US administration from further restrictions against Nord Stream 2 a "multibillion-dollar gift" to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
"Far-fetched fears"
According to analysts interviewed by RT, a number of Republican politicians and some American media deliberately link US energy problems with Russia and Nord Stream 2.
“Representatives of the Republican Party are trying to draw some strong parallels between the internal problems of the United States in the field of energy with Russia and the gas pipeline, but all this looks extremely unconvincing.
Such theses are sewn with white thread, but I do not exclude that the claims will continue, although they will rather be of a rhetorical nature, ”said political analyst Alexander Asafov.
He expressed the opinion that the "Russian card" in this situation is being used in political battles as a pretext for accusations against the head of the White House.
“In order to raise the question of a number of internal energy problems in the United States, as well as to attack Biden with criticism, it is convenient for representatives of the Republican Party to put forward meaningless claims against Russia.
In particular, Ted Cruz is a consistent critic of Moscow, so he does not hesitate to mix the Russian factor into a topic that concerns exclusively the United States itself, ”the expert said.
Capitol building
Reuters
© Ken Cedeno / File
Yuri Rogulyov, director of the Franklin Roosevelt Foundation for the Study of the United States at Moscow State University, has a similar point of view: “Republicans claim that Russia is allegedly using its energy resources for political purposes.
However, such concerns are far-fetched.
Moscow has repeatedly stated that the project is economically profitable for both the Russian Federation and Europe. "
According to Rogulev, the Republicans in their statements criticizing Biden's energy policy are focusing on Russia, because they consider it an additional argument that, they think, strengthens their position.
“The Republican Party believes that when it is necessary to draw public attention to an internal problem, it will be looked at faster if it is artificially connected with Russia.
This is a kind of instrument of the Republicans for solving internal problems.
Now the United States has reached a situation where the American establishment can no longer do without the image of an enemy in the person of Russia for conducting domestic policy, ”he stressed.
Asafov, for his part, noted that criticism of Biden for his allegedly untenable energy policy has already become one of the standard accusations of the Republicans against the incumbent president.
“Representatives of the Republican Party have chosen this direction, since among them support for the energy industry is traditionally high,” the analyst explained.
At the same time, Yuri Rogulev stated that the current head of the White House does not want to maintain the status of the United States as an energy power, which was what his predecessor was striving for.
“Trump allowed the extraction of coal, oil, gas, gave the go-ahead for the construction of an oil pipeline.
Biden, on the other hand, took a course to reduce all these volumes, ”the expert noted.
As Asafov predicted, against the background of a slight reduction in the sanctions pressure on Nord Stream 2, the Republicans will continue to link the unsuccessful, in their opinion, decisions of Biden with Russia.
“Despite the fact that it is difficult for Republicans to accuse the current US president of loyalty to Russia, he can be criticized for indecision and unwillingness to take extremely tough actions,” the analyst concluded.