By RON KLEIN | HEARTLAND INSTITUTE
The oil embargo of 1973 imposed by the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries and other Arab oil-producing nations was imposed in response to the United States’ support of Israel during the Yom Kippur War.
The embargo led to a sharp increase in oil prices and a shortage of fuels for the military, airlines, ships, and vehicles in the United States and other countries, as well as a shortage of products from oil.
Few may remember the long lines at gas stations which were one of the most visible effects of the oil embargo. In some cases, people waited for hours to fill up their tanks. The shortage of oil also led to price increases, and many people were forced to make sacrifices to conserve fuel.
The oil embargo of 1973 was a major event in the history of the United States. It led to a recession in the United States and other countries. It also led to thoughts of a needed energy policy in the United States. The United States began to develop alternative sources for oil and for electricity, such as solar and wind power.
President Richard Nixon played a key role in the construction of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline, which carries oil from Prudhoe Bay on Alaska’s North Slope to the port of Valdez. Nixon signed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act into law in 1973, and he worked to overcome environmental and political opposition to the project. The pipeline began operating in 1977 and has since transported more than 15 billion barrels of oil.
President Richard Nixon gave a speech on America’s energy policy on November 7, 1973, in which he outlined his plans to reduce national energy consumption and called on U.S. citizens to follow his lead in achieving energy independence.
In his speech, Nixon acknowledged that the United States was facing an oil crisis for the American economy’s demands for fuels, and the products that are based on crude oil, and he blamed the crisis on several factors, including the Arab oil embargo, the growth of the U.S. economy, and the country’s continued reliance on foreign oil.
Read about all of Nixon’s energy initiatives and how 50 years later, there is no American policy for energy independence at this link.
Decades of “Lucy promising not to move the ball this time Charlie Brown” showed us the Democrat-Socialist negotiation practices, just lie. George W. Bush told the U.S.A., “Read my lips, no new taxes”. Unfortunately, trusting “Lucy” by agreement to implement a National Energy Plan was a deception, much in the same way as the “2006 Secure Fence Act” was also never implemented for “OUR” NATIONAL SECURITY AND SOVERIGNTY!
Haven’t you heard? We’re going green with technology we don’t have and rare earth minerals we have to pay another country for.
And power it through a power grid which is going to get its electricity via good wishes and unicorn farts.
We are exactly where the left has been pushing us ever since the ‘73 war.
Interesting to note that photos have shown that oil tankers were fully loaded and parked outside of the Panama Canal in 1973 . I think the producers had a hand in created the oil shortage in early seventies to push thru the stalled pipeline construction .
What’s amazing to me is that we have literally 500,000 barrels of daily production sitting in the ground on the North Slope in the year 2023 . Proven reserves !
I worked on TAPS for thirty years . It was producing nearly 2.4 million barrels per day in early to mid eighties . Now we are barely producing 500,000 barrels per day .
You are on the Money, Drill Bay Drill, Alaska can be number one again.
There most certainly is a plan, it’s just not one that can ensure the health and well being of U.S. Citizens.
But take heart, Joe Xiden emptied the National Oil Reserves earlier this year, allowing Hunter and his buddies to sell some of the Oil to the Chi- Coms according to some news reports.
I note that having worked in constructing the Trans Alaska Pipeline from May of ’74 to May of ’77 that the ” Oil Companies” were severely stressed financially towards the end of the project. They worked us like rented Mules at 99 hours a week at the end. Seems they were at the end of their $ and needed a return on their 9 billion dollar investment.
Oh, and those 99 hour weeks? After Alaska State income tax and Federal income tax I got about 48% of my gross on my checks! So much for sticking it to the Fat Cats!
For as long as I can remember, presidents have promised energy independence in their State of the Union addresses. It was finally achieved during (not because of, during) Trump’s administration, and Biden immediately started undermining that newly achieved goal the second he assumed office. It’s so frustrating.
And while Biden is attacking the US oil & gas industry in the name of climate change, we’re now learning he was working with his son to get fossil fuels into production for Ukraine and China.
Yes, Totally Pathetic, this article in itself proves beyond any doubt, there has been corrupt people pulling the strings for decades, and those who go into government with good intentions quickly get bought off or taken out by the entrenched criminals steering our course who do not give a dam about the people in America who built this Country, , that’s why when a guy like Trump comes along and threatens to expose all these corrupt bastards they will do whatever is needed to destroy him. Our country has the ability to live entirely off our own resources in all aspects, we also have the background that proves we can produce energy and do it cleaner then anyone in the world , but there are certain environmental groups that require excessive budgets to keep every new generation of governmental parasites feeding from the trough. Until the people wake the hell up and realize they have been played for fools for decades by these buerocratic psychopaths it will never change, they use climate change , save the planet , and all this other nonsense in order to hoodwink the working people, most who are out working their asses off just to get by, while all these parasites in all to many areas of Government suck the Government budgets dry year after year, yet people continue to bend over and take the abuse, Something needs to change !
Most astute, and enlightened, observation on this thread! (Refreshing!)
Our country will NEVER be independent when it comes to energy; we could, but those that can lead us there are prevented from doing so before they can even get started.
For a very short period of time during the Trump administration, we were producing so much energy domestically we were a net exporter. Then Biden became president.
All it takes is a government willing to get out of the way. I remember in 2017, the ADN ran an article about the sudden inexplicable rejuvenation of the mining industry in Alaska, when metal prices were flat. It never seemed to occur to then the new administration wasn’t hostile to the mining industry.
Alaska can be on top again as the largest oil producer in the U.S. if the state Oil and Gas Agency would say “YES” instead of a” unreasonable “NO”, the Fraser Institute RANKS Alaska at the BOTTON as a place to invest in oil and gas, this can be fixed but no leadership can be seen, why?
Biden’s Green Energy plan sends billions to China since they produce the rare earths and the solar panels etc. Is it any wonder that millions in checks from China flow back to the Biden family? Selling out our country with no consequences and the Deep State protects their criminal activity. Sometimes it just seems hopeless but we must continue to fight to save our country. Thank MRAK for your part. Information is vital.
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