Biden expected to OK Alaska oil project — a blow to his green base Approving Willow would be just the latest shift by Biden toward the political center as he moves toward a potential reelection bid. He similarly dismayed liberals last week by saying he would not veto a GOP-led repeal of changes to D.C.’s criminal code.
Yup. Biden also suddenly announced an additional 1.6 billion (to be added to the other recent 6 billion) to keep existing nuclear plants running that had already announced planned termination dates. That'll drive a few lefties nutso. Much of it is, as you say, election related but it is also true that Biden takes all his cues on how to be woke from the Europeans. If they are all going switching to wind and solar and shutting down coal and natural gas and nuclear then, by jove that is what American should do. But it works the other way too. He sees them all scrambling now to fire their nuclear plants up again or to extend their live span, and also sudden designating natural gas as "green" because while it creates carbon it is less than oil and coal so is a "transitional fuel." So voila, guess what Joe is doing now. Nuclear is suddenly our friend, because Europe is doing it so Joe knows it's okay. On the Alaska project it is also true that a major factor is that Lisa Murkowski is a swing vote who sides with Biden on his various infrastructure bills- attempted and passed- so Biden owes her bigtime. And she is big Willow Project supporter. Lisa has really made out like a bandit with Biden. She supported the infrastructure bills - and went against the Republicans- and she held out and watched the dems pile pork after pork and project after project for Alaska into the bill to get her support. All while she had Mitch totally subdued. Mitch supported her recent election because she agreed to support Mitch for speaker. So Mitch was not in any position to trash her for siding with the dems. Sausages being made right as we speak. Joe will approve the Willow Project (but convince the lefties that he reduced the scope). So Lisa wins and Joe just bought her support for the next court nominee. And round and round we go. Blue Collar Union Joe taking heat bigtime from the unions for dragging his feat on the Alaska Project. He needs their support.
Obviously you don't know how this works.US oil has always gone for sale on the world market.Under Biden,Trump,Obama Bush etc.
Joe cannot stay a leftist leaning liberal and expect to win in 2024. So, he has to act more like Trump would. His "greenie" base must be pissed off about now. Biden's policies are failing at all levels.