Top Three Lies to Watch for in the GOP & Big Oil’s Shared Pre-Election Playbook

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As the midterm elections come two weeks from today, GOP politicians are increasingly in sync with their Big Oil backers, in what seems to be a coordinated effort to protect their record profits at the expense of Americans struggling. 

Here are the top three lies we’re seeing from GOP officials and candidates:

LIE: President Biden and the Democrats have declared a “war on energy” production and stopped domestic drilling. 

• TRUTH: The United States is producing more energy than ever before. According to the Energy Information Administration, 2022 is expected to break the previous production record. Domestic crude oil production has grown since 2020 and is projected to break annual records by 2023. Natural gas production already set a new annual record in 2021 and hit a record for daily production in September 2022, and clean energy sources are growing every day thanks to the economics of clean energy and the investments unleashed by the Inflation Reduction Act. 

LIE: Fossil fuels are cheaper than clean energy. 

• TRUTH: Solar and wind are the cheapest energy sources available and they are getting cheaper every year. These renewables are also less vulnerable to the global supply shocks and corporate greed that drives up prices – in fact, gas would be $0.60 cheaper per gallon if it wasn’t for oil and gas CEO greed. The price we pay for oil in America is set by the world market—it’s a global commodity which leaves U.S. consumers subject to the whims of OPEC+ and authoritarians like Putin.

LIE: Transitioning to clean energy will increase costs and eliminate jobs.

• TRUTH: The new climate law will create an estimated 1.5 million jobs in construction, manufacturing, and clean energy production across the country. The Inflation Reduction Act will also help cut household energy costs by over $1,000 a year, and supply up to $14,000 in rebates on home energy efficiency investments that save money and help families get off of fossil fuels at home. It’s no wonder oil and gas lobbyists are already scheming with Republicans to repeal these vital, cost-saving incentives in order to keep costs (and profits) high. The new law will also prevent $1.9 trillion in costs associated with the impacts of climate change that could be passed onto taxpayers.