Hillary Clinton says she wants to severely limit fracking in the United States, while Bernie Sanders says he would outright refuse to support it.
Bloomberg Business reports:
In the Democratic presidential debate in Flint, Michigan against Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, Clinton said she wouldn’t support fracking in states or local communities that don’t want it, if it causes pollution, or if the chemicals used aren’t disclosed.
"By the time we get through all of my conditions, I do not think there will be many places in America where fracking will continue to take place," Clinton said.
… Unlike Clinton’s nuanced stance, Sanders’ response to the issue Sunday was direct: "No, I do not support fracking."
Democrats’ pandering to the environmental left comes at high price for their other core constituencies.
As the Wall Street Journal notes in its editorial, Democrat candidates’ energy stance ignores how America’s fracking revolution has been a boon to American families.
“The average price of natural gas plummeted some 60% between 2008 and 2012 thanks to the fracking boom, and families saved $32 billion in 2012 through lower energy bills, according to Mercator Energy,” the editorial says.
But rising energy costs disproportionately harm low-income Americans, as a larger share of their income goes toward utilities and gasoline.
Energy is also critical input in manufacturing, a sector that needs every advantage it can get. Rising prices mean fewer blue-collar and union manufacturing jobs.
Clinton and Sanders proceed at their own risk.