As many of you know, the Stokes County Board of Commissioners has passed a resolution urging members of the North Carolina General Assembly to pass no legislation that would legalize fracking until it can be fully demonstrated that it is safe for the environment. This comes as the state legislature passed Senate Bill 820, a bill co-sponsored by Senator Don East. Representative Bryan Holloway was one of only two Republicans in the House to vote against the bill.

While I agree with the members of the Stokes County Board of Commissioners and Rep. Holloway on a wide range of issues related to economic freedom through low taxes, low government spending, and eliminating crippling government regulations, I believe that these individuals have made a misguided decision and have not thoroughly investigated fracking.

So what is fracking? Fracking is the shortened name of hydraulic fracturing and is a process of fracturing the shale rock layer in the ground so that the natural gas in the rock will come up once the well is in place. But instead of me telling you the process, here’s a video of exactly what happens.

As you can see, the groundwater is completely protected from the fracking process by the steel casing. 

The next charge against fracking that I found in the Winston Salem Journal and The Stokes News from citizens concerns the chemicals that are used during the process. Here’s a breakdown of what is used when fracturing the shale rock to get to the natural gas:

90% water

9.5% sand

So where’s the other 0.5% coming from? Sodium chloride (found in table salt), ethylene glycol (used in household cleaners), borate salts (some of you are wearing that right now because it’s used in cosmetics), sodium/potassium carbonate (used in laundry detergent), guar gum (sounds scary, right? It’s used in ice cream), and finally isopropanol (used in deodorant). None of these chemicals will harm you, but once again, the steel tubing on the well is impermeable, so nothing is going to seep into your groundwater. 

So what would cause citizens to be so concerned? 

Well the fear of fracking comes from a documentary titled Gasland. In this film, the director shows how one family in a fracking town in Colorado has the ability to ignite their water in their kitchen sink.

But here’s what the filmmaker didn’t tell you – the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission found that methane gas had already been present in the groundwater of that town for decades and it was not related to fracking at all. They found that in 1976, a report was released determining that the aquifer had “troublesome amounts of methane.” Another report in 1983 states that “the methane rich gas commonly occurs in ground water in the Denver Basin of southern Colorado” where this family lives. Their own water well was drilled into a naturally occurring pocket of methane.

If fracking does take place in North Carolina, it will most likely affect the areas of Lee, Harnett, and Chatham Counties. Stokes County would be much further down the road assuming it will even happen at all.

The legislation is Senate Bill 820 and was passed in both chambers of the General Assembly. There’s obviously been a lot of confusion as to what the bill would actually do.

Here’s what the bill will: it will begin building a regulatory process for fracking. This process will take at least a couple of years to complete in order to put the right environment in place for fracking to even begin. It will create a commission to study the process of fracking and to setup environmental and safety protections. And for fracking to even begin, the demand will have to dramatically rise for natural gas, and when it does, it will happen in Lee County first.

So with all this said, why should fracking take place in North Carolina? For one, it produces natural gas, which is cleaner than oil or gasoline, and it emits half as much carbon dioxide, less than one-third the nitrogen oxides, and 1 percent as much sulfur oxides as coal combustion.

It costs 1/3 less to fill up a car with natural gas than traditional gasoline.

The United States is abundant in natural gas. Just to put it into perspective, according to a professor of geosciences at Penn State, there’s more natural gas lying underneath West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and New York than Saudi Arabia’s entire energy reserves. If that’s not energy independence, I don’t know what is.

Here’s the best part, fracking will generate a tremendous boom to our economy. Just look at North Dakota, a state which now relies heavily on the natural gas industry. North Dakota has a 2% unemployment rate.

And it’s not just good for energy sector jobs. Because there are so little houses in North Dakota and because of their influx in population, there aren’t enough houses for the people, so many of them are living in their cars in Walmart parking lots or in camps while houses are being constructed. Think of all the construction jobs that are being created and think of how much real estate companies are being able to profit from North Dakota.

Truck drivers are making six figure salaries in North Dakota because they’re in such high demand. McDonald’s employees are making $15 an hour because it’s one of only a few restaurant chains in the state and the company is having a hard time finding staff.

In Ohio, fracking has contributed $4.9 billion to the state’s economy.

North Dakota has created hundreds of thousands of jobs just in the energy sector alone in the past five years.

This can happen in North Carolina, but instead we have elected officials that make comments like this one in the Winston-Salem Journal that “big oil comes and digs in Stokes County and takes what they can get, then pulls the drills out and says adios.” This is a scare tactic and is a play out of the Obama handbook of creating fear over “big oil.” Do any of you know what sector of the economy creates the most revenue for the federal government? BIG OIL!

And while we’re on the topic of big oil, why isn’t big environment ever mentioned? I don’t want big environment telling big oil that they can’t bring jobs to North Carolina and then have big oil leave and create jobs in another state like North Dakota.

Al Gore is set to become the first carbon billionaire because of the money he has profited from investing in green energy while scaring everyone into the theory of climate change.

Look at the Obama administration’s relationship with Solyndra. Solyndra, the green energy maker, contributed millions to the Obama campaign only to then receive a half a billion in tax money. The company then went bankrupt, but the Obama administration funneled more money into Solyndra so that the company wouldn’t fire employees before the 2010 Election. 1,100 employees didn’t realize that they would be fired once the election was over.

Now is fracking the best solution to put America on the road to energy independence. No. But it is a solution and it is a good solution.

We need to be energy independent to create jobs and to keep more money at home instead of funding countries that don’t like us and don’t share our ideals. If someone on the left argues with you over energy policy in the United States (like fracking or the Keystone Pipeline), ask them these questions – Do you hate gays? Do you think women should be able to drive a car? Do you think women should have the right to vote?

Of course you know their answer, so then ask them – Then why do you insist on sending our money to Middle Eastern countries that kill gay people and where women have absolutely no rights to speak of. Ask them these questions. Make them think. If they said they do hate gays and think women shouldn't vote or drive, ask them what the frack is their problem, only use another word besides frack. 


Sources:
Energy from Shale
Energy in Depth
USA Today - Unemployed? Go to North Dakota
Charleston Daily Mail - Fracking boom for Ohio real estate

President Obama visited UNC-Chapel Hill today to deliver a speech on student loans and to guest star on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Typical of UNC students, they went hysterical when they learned that Obama would be on campus. Thousands waited in lines to receive a ticket to either the rally or to Late Night, many camping out overnight to get their "golden ticket." Also typical of UNC students, they felt that Obama's visit demonstrates that he "really cares about college students" and "he especially loves UNC." 

Once again, UNC students are completely oblivious to the truth. Obama loves visiting UNC as much as he loves visiting the doctor for a colonoscopy. It's something he has to do in order to win reelection. In order to win, Obama has to court North Carolinians again and hope that they turn out for him in the polls; if not, he's toast. In addition, Obama has to get his group of volunteers ready for November. And where is he going to find these volunteers? College campuses, of course. And what better college campus than the largest liberal campus in the state - my beloved UNC. 

UNC students fell into his trap once again today. At the rally, students began chanting "four more years" and cheered anytime Obama opened his mouth. Then students were treated to a free live taping of Late Night with Jimmy Fallon with special guests Obama and Dave Matthews. What more could they ask for?

How about jobs? How about economic opportunities? How about a promise that they don't have to live in their parent's basement when they graduate? How about the promise of the American dream? 

Once again, his speech was pointless and demonstrated his arrogance to the needs of the American people and the average college student. 

In his speech, Obama pointed the blame directly on Republicans for not doing more to help college students. He cited that the Republicans in Congress are seeking to double the interest rates on federal student loans. He urged college students to step-up, write their legislators, and demand keeping rates where they are. He even encouraged students to tweet #dontdoublemyrate in an effort to swing members of Congress and a clear effort by Obama to appeal himself to college students. 

Here's something UNC students didn't realize today and Obama failed to mention: while a US Senator, Obama missed not one, but TWO votes on the student loan interest rate bill that he now wants Congress to pass. 

Now all of a sudden, Obama is concerned about student loans. Why? Because it's an election year. Because he has to appeal to his base of college students. Because he has to win North Carolina. 

Get it? 

In 2008, Obama won 66% of the youth vote. In North Carolina, 74% of young voters supported him. He has to do it again. All he has to do is utter the words "student loans" and he gets applause on college campuses. 

But here's the truth. "It's the economy, stupid!"

What's the point in arguing over interest rates on student loans when students can't find jobs to pay off those loans once they graduate? 

According to the Pew Research Center, 54.3% of individuals between the ages of 18 and 24 have jobs. Only 54.3%?! One in four teens had a job in 2011, meaning 75% of teens will not have any job experience when they enter college. This doesn't even cover underemployment rates. 

The president needs to focus on creating jobs for students instead of wasting taxpayer money flying around campaigning for November. 

#dontdobulemyrate on unemployment and underemployment, Mr. President. 

In regards to student loans, Obama looked into the crowd of college students and said, "You don't like it. You don't like debt." Damn straight, I don't like debt. I don't like the government spending so much that my great-grandchildren will have to pay off the debt. I don't like it when the national debt is over $14 trillion. I don't like that we're in debt to the Chinese for the rest of my lifetime. 

Straight out of his playbook, Obama continued to assert that he inherited this economy. In his speech, he claimed that it's not his fault for "the deficit they ran up the past decade." Need he be reminded that he had a supermajority in Congress his first two years in office? He could have done whatever he wanted. If he has solutions for America now, why didn't he institute them two years ago?

Well, Obama can just tax the rich and the country's fiscal shape will be better. WRONG! But that's what Obama would have students believe at his rally when he advocated for everyone to pay their "fair share" in taxes. In reality, overtaxing the wealthy, the job creators, will only further our country down a path of fiscal insolvency. When taxes are low for all income brackets, revenues are high. This has been proven throughout modern history with the Johnson tax cuts in 1964 (yes, liberal LBJ passed a tax cut - even more shocking, it was a Kennedy proposal), the Reagan tax cuts, and the Bush tax cuts.

Increasing taxes on anyone in a recession spells disaster for the world economy. If Obama really wants Americans to pay their "fair share" and if he really strives for tax equality, then here's what he should do. First, he should address the fact that 46% of households did not pay income taxes in 2011. I say, if you want to live, work, learn, vote, and use government services in this country, you must pay something. 

Second, if Obama wants equality, why not institute a flat tax? The rich would pay the same rate as the poor. It can't get anymore fair than that. Or even the Fair Tax, where taxation is based on consumption; the more you consume, the more you pay in taxes. Seems pretty logical to me. 

Lastly, I want to address the Republican congresswoman that Obama quoted during his rally today in Chapel Hill. Here's what Obama said:

“She said she had ‘very little tolerance for people who tell me they graduate with debt because there’s no reason for that.’ I’m just quoting here...the students who rack up student loan debt are just ‘sitting on their butts having opportunity dumped in your lap.’ I’m reading it here. I didn’t make this up.” 

The congresswoman he quoted is Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC 5). The quotation from Obama came from a recent radio interview Foxx did. Here's what Foxx actually said:

"I have very little tolerance for people who tell me that they graduate with $200,000 of debt or even $80,000 of debt because there’s no reason for that. We live in an opportunity society and people are forgetting that. I remind folks all the time that the Declaration of Independence says ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ You don’t sit on your butt and have it dumped in your lap."

Obama clearly misquoted Virginia Foxx in a way to paint Republicans as hatemongers who care nothing for college students. In reality, Republicans do care about college students. And to blow every UNC student's mind, Mitt Romney actually supports keeping the interest rates on student loans where they are now, it's not an Obama invention. 

I'll give Obama some credit, he's a great campaigner. He has been able to get millions of people to fall into his trap so easily a caveman could do it. Conservatives need to realize this. 

Conservatives need to be in-line with the newest social media technologies. They need to have a strong presence on every college campus across America. They need to go out there and spread the truth: that Obama isn't working.

I urge all fellow college students to avoid falling into the Obama trap. To not be subjected to Obama and his liberal ways that have further destroyed our economy, our national prominence, and the American Dream. To avoid the temptation of becoming an Obama zombie. 

I hope my fellow students enjoyed waiting hours in line to get tickets to see President Obama for his 20 minutes worth of speech. If he wins reelection (God help us), their line waiting was great practice for the line waiting they will have to do in the soup lines.