If you are of advanced years you can say you have seen it all before.

If you are only in your fifties you might feel it’s about time this happened. You have not seen it before.

Or you may be one who hates what has happened.

What has happened is momentous: The U.S. has returned to the era when it was king of the energy hill.  And other related hills.

In the years prior to the 1970’ the U.S. had enough oil to operate the country. Without imports.  Villains could not hold us over the proverbial barrel. Especially the oil barrel.

Then came the 70’s.  We produced less, burned more. Became addicted to Middle East oil. OPEC then toyed with us.  Humiliated us. Because we were desperate for its oil.

Today we can tell OPEC members to kiss off. Thanks to fracking.  We are now the world’s largest gas producer.  We produce so much we can export half of it as liquefied natural gas.

We produce more oil than the Saudis. We are exporting more than 1 million barrels a day. That line on the graph has shot nearly straight up.  We are the OPEC of this era.

We mine more coal and export more. To countries like India and China. They scoffed at the Paris climate accord. Because they are building power plants by the hundreds.  Plants that burn coal. They need the electricity for their surging consumer classes.

You may feel fossil fuel emissions will destroy us.  You then are not crazy about what is happening. Understandable.

Maybe you are not so concerned.  If so, you can appreciate why it is to America’s advantage. To be so powerful with these fuels.

1. The government reaps billions now from oil and gas royalties. And from various taxes. And from exports.
2. The industry has created countless new jobs.
3. Our abundant oil and gas have brought energy prices down for all the world. Even more so for us.
4. With low natural gas prices American industry can better compete with foreign companies.  Those that must use more expensive fuels.
5. Low oil and gas prices sap the strength of a lot of villains.  Russia has had to slash its budgets. The Saudis, Iran and others have much less money to finance evil.
6. Our exports to Europe weaken the Russian’s throttle hold on many nations there.
7. Energy costs have fallen for us.  They have skyrocketed for competing nations.  Especially green countries. Germany made a huge push into green fuels. Its households pay $400 more per year for energy than 10 years ago. While ours pay much less.  German industry is similarly hit. While ours has seen costs go down.

Strategically we are in an excellent position. More countries will want to be on good terms with us.  Because we will be selling precious gas and oil to them.

Meanwhile countries that used to kick us around no longer do so. Now they worry about us.  About our technology.  About the genius of our fracking engineers. Because they threaten to bring the cost of fracking ever lower.  Which will bring the world prices for oil and gas ever lower. Which will weaken such countries.

Being king of the energy hill is a lot better than being humiliated by the likes of OPEC.  We achieve this despite roadblocks from the Obama administration.  On various fronts. Imagine the advances likely under the current administration.

I know.  I know.  If you oppose fossil fuels, you are not a happy camper with all this.

From Tom…as in Morgan. You can write to Tom at tomasinmorgan@yahoo.com. You can read more of his writing at tomasinmorgan.com.