Source: United States Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND)
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WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), member of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, joined Kudlow on Fox Business to discuss Biden’s soaring inflation and domestic energy development roadblocks from the White House. During the interview, Larry Kudlow referenced Senator Cramer’s most recent op-ed, “‘Free’ Money Can’t Fix Inflation – The American Producer Can,” examining the impacts of Biden’s skyrocketing inflation on rural America. Senator Cramer also emphasized the need for long-term investment in American-produced energy, which would reduce inflation and strengthen national security. Excerpts and full video are below.
On Inflation:
“I think it’s a really important to look back at the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, what happened to the economy after it passed, and what that led to in terms of full employment, productivity, and even producing more revenue for the government. It also led to a foundation that allowed our economy to get through the pandemic and come out so strong, so robust, and really growing at a very fast rate, which now all of a sudden [the Biden Administration] want[s] to stifle. It makes zero sense. As I pointed out in the [op-ed], when Joe Biden became President, inflation was 1.4% and now it’s 8.5% and growing. In rural America, it’s even higher.”
On the Importance of Domestic Energy to Help Our Allies:
“We have European allies who previously sort of shunned our energy are now begging for American energy. They have voluntarily cut themselves off from Vladimir Putin. They are open to the free market. We just happen to have a lot of supply in this market and they have a lot of demand. If there’s a way for us to come to this realization and this opportunity to produce more in the United States – which will bring down price much like Donald Trump did when he was President – and be able to offer that on the global market, it has national security ramifications as well as economic ramifications for our country. [We] need to do our part as an American producer.”
On the White House Roadblocks to Energy Development:
“We need to have long run opportunities for long-term investments. The White House is putting up all of these roadblocks to [energy] production. However, there are many Democrats growing more and more uncomfortable with the intransigence of the White House’s position. I stress ‘White House’ because I think there is a White House and I think there’s Joe Biden. I don’t think the two are necessarily always on the same wavelength. So, if [Senator] Joe Manchin can get something put together that can get enough votes which Republicans and Democrats agree to, then maybe he can go to his friend Joe Biden and say, ‘Mr. President, let’s set Gina McCarthy and John Kerry on the sidelines for a moment. Let’s have a realistic talk about the opportunities in front of us.’
“Look at the most recent decision by the President to open up 20% of the available federal lands to leasing, but at the same time, he puts up all these other roadblocks to production. [This includes] Gina McCarthy on national television saying, ‘We didn’t really mean it. We just had to do something. We have this ‘court problem.’’ [They have] a reality problem.”