In defense of fossil fuels

The appeal for the replacement of fossil fuels, namely oil and natural gas but coal as well, makes for a great sound bite, but to call for fossil fuel substitution in the beginning age of alternative fuel development is worse than premature. It is a cruel hoax played upon the American public. Presently, there are simply no viable alternatives, merely supplements. More than 85 percent of the world's ground transportation fuel and 100 percent of air transportation fuel comes from oil. That is not going to change any time soon.

In these tumultuous times, we need our own oil and gas more than ever. Responsible policymakers should be pursuing acceleration of development of our own fossil fuel resources. Yet the administration wants to take away the tax provisions that provide the capital needed to generate these resources. It's a nearsighted vision, especially when independent producers drill 93 percent of domestic wells and historically invest all their cash in new drilling. Then they borrow more.

Thousands of American jobs they create will be lost if 30 to 40 percent of the capital for drilling is eliminated through the loss of tax provisions. In an ironic twist, now that we need to increase U.S. production, certain members of Congress have launched a crusade against the technological advances in hydraulic fracturing that make possible the safe production of shale oil and gas resources.