Letters to the Editor

Letter: Obama not a friend of oil industry

The withdrawal of Ron Binz's nomination for chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission might be a sign that there are still people in Washington who care about U.S. energy needs.

It became known that Binz, an Obama pick, was the beneficiary of a "shadow campaign" of "green" lobbyists and PR firms attempting to dismantle the fossil fuel economy. Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Binz "appeared to have misled her when he said he wasn't working with an outside team to try to promote his nomination."

This situation is emblematic of an administration that has pushed hard to undermine an industry that dominates Alaska's economy. President Obama wants billions in new taxes on energy producers — under the political smoke screen of eliminating "corporate welfare" — and is using regulatory authority to achieve his goals. His "all of the above" energy policy really means more green energy cronyism, more Alaska land kept off limits to energy development, and more attacks on the companies that produce the oil and natural gas we need for long-term prosperity.

— Jimmy Crawford

Anchorage

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