July 7, 2020

Pipeline Pause Is a Big Win for Putin

Our failure to build the Atlantic pipeline weakens our energy independence.

One of the biggest reasons that the whole “Russia collusion” narrative never made much sense should have been obvious early on: President Donald Trump has, from almost the moment he took office, been working to deregulate American energy production, and that deregulation was detrimental to Russia’s bottom line.

As we have noted in the past, Vladimir Putin relies on oil and gas exports to strengthen Russian influence around the world. Indeed, roughly two years ago we watched Putin attempt geopolitical blackmail of Germany via natural gas.

The reason is very simple: Much of Putin’s leverage comes from being able to hold other countries hostage via natural gas. At the same time, oil and gas exports give Putin a very good source of hard currency. When oil and gas prices go up, Putin gets more cash to create havoc, make deals for technology, and pay for things like weapons development. When energy prices go down, Putin has to make tougher budget choices.

Putin knows this, and must also know that the fracking revolution gives the U.S. the ability to do on its own what it had to get the Saudis to do in the 1980s: send energy prices crashing by way of massive production. In the 1980s, it helped usher in the collapse of the Evil Empire.

That’s why the decision by Dominion Energy to stop the Atlantic Coast Pipeline is so troubling. And this despite a decisive Supreme Court win, an activist judge’s ruling that the Dakota Access Pipeline be completely shut down, and another activist judge’s even broader ruling on Keystone. One can imagine some celebratory vodka being poured in Moscow. It certainly would have been money well spent, as Russia has supported anti-fracking movements in the past.

Thus, the goal of American energy independence has been dealt a setback — and worse, America’s geopolitical position is made that much more precarious. Remember: The price of energy determines the likelihood that Russia will be able to exert outsized influence over NATO or other American allies.

When it comes to energy, of course, the environment is also a consideration. Nobody wants pollution. But right now, our nation needs energy independence. It needs to have the means of producing oil and gas as well as the infrastructure for refining them and getting them to the end users. The recent court rulings and Dominion Energy’s decision are steps away from that goal, and President Trump — if he can win a second term — can get those pipelines built. Joe Biden certainly can’t.

Who We Are

The Patriot Post is a highly acclaimed weekday digest of news analysis, policy and opinion written from the heartland — as opposed to the MSM’s ubiquitous Beltway echo chambers — for grassroots leaders nationwide. More

What We Offer

On the Web

We provide solid conservative perspective on the most important issues, including analysis, opinion columns, headline summaries, memes, cartoons and much more.

Via Email

Choose our full-length Digest or our quick-reading Snapshot for a summary of important news. We also offer Cartoons & Memes on Monday and Alexander’s column on Wednesday.

Our Mission

The Patriot Post is steadfast in our mission to extend the endowment of Liberty to the next generation by advocating for individual rights and responsibilities, supporting the restoration of constitutional limits on government and the judiciary, and promoting free enterprise, national defense and traditional American values. We are a rock-solid conservative touchstone for the expanding ranks of grassroots Americans Patriots from all walks of life. Our mission and operation budgets are not financed by any political or special interest groups, and to protect our editorial integrity, we accept no advertising. We are sustained solely by you. Please support The Patriot Fund today!


The Patriot Post and Patriot Foundation Trust, in keeping with our Military Mission of Service to our uniformed service members and veterans, are proud to support and promote the National Medal of Honor Heritage Center, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, both the Honoring the Sacrifice and Warrior Freedom Service Dogs aiding wounded veterans, the National Veterans Entrepreneurship Program, the Folds of Honor outreach, and Officer Christian Fellowship, the Air University Foundation, and Naval War College Foundation, and the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation. "Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one's life for his friends." (John 15:13)

★ PUBLIUS ★

“Our cause is noble; it is the cause of mankind!” —George Washington

Please join us in prayer for our nation — that righteous leaders would rise and prevail and we would be united as Americans. Pray also for the protection of our Military Patriots, Veterans, First Responders, and their families. Please lift up your Patriot team and our mission to support and defend our Republic's Founding Principle of Liberty, that the fires of freedom would be ignited in the hearts and minds of our countrymen.

The Patriot Post is protected speech, as enumerated in the First Amendment and enforced by the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America, in accordance with the endowed and unalienable Rights of All Mankind.

Copyright © 2024 The Patriot Post. All Rights Reserved.

The Patriot Post does not support Internet Explorer. We recommend installing the latest version of Microsoft Edge, Mozilla Firefox, or Google Chrome.