Not-so-celebrated boom
A funny thing happened after President Joe Biden campaigned to transition the nation off of fossil fuels.
The Permian Basin began to boom.
Late last year the Permian Basin, the heart of Texas oil, set new production records and federal energy analysts say more records are going to fall as they project even more oil is coming. The U.S. Energy Information Administration just revised its projections and now expects U.S. crude oil production will average 13.1 million barrels a day in 2024 — a new record.
"Crude oil production in the Permian Basin is driving our forecast," EIA officials said in a report released late last week.
Don't expect to hear much from the Biden administration celebrating the achievement given how much his administration has been working to transition the U.S. to more green energy alternatives.
"We remain focused on prices for American consumers, and prices have come down significantly since last year," a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council told Politico when asked about the production boom.
In Texas, the boom is bringing big economic benefits. Texas Oil & Gas Association Chief Economist Dean Foreman said employment in Texas' oil and natural gas industry has grown eight consecutive quarters and is up to 482,000 direct workers with wages in the industry jumping 22 percent in the last year.
Yet, there is an alternative reality in the Republican presidential primary. During last week's debate, Ron DeSantis and Vivek Ramaswamy both made pleas for more energy production in the U.S., and Donald Trump later declared he'd eliminate regulations that are hampering domestic oil production. "When I'm back in the White House I will bring back a pro-American energy policy," Trump said
While prices at the pump are sure to rise and fall over the next year, experts told Politico it is not about the U.S. needing to have more production but about global demand and other forces outside of the control of whoever is in the White House.
 | Jeremy Wallace, Texas politics reporter |
Who's up, who's down
Up: Nikki Haley.
It's just one poll, but an Emerson College survey among Republicans showed she's up to 7 percent following the first GOP presidential debate. It's a long way from Trump's 50 percent, but it is also vastly better than any polling earlier this year for the former South Carolina governor and shows she just might be starting to build some momentum as the candidates prepare for the second presidential debate on Sept. 27 in California.
Down: Ken Paxton.
As if the suspended Texas attorney general didn't have enough on his plate, now comes a group of 14 attorneys who have filed a complaint with the State Bar of Texas that could mean a possible disbarment. Austin NBC affiliate KXAN said three of the attorneys who filed the complaint are former presidents of the State Bar.
What do you think? Hit reply and let me know.
What else is going on in Texas
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Pick of the day
Paxton was responding to rumors on social media that he might resign before his impeachment trial starts on Sept. 5.
What else I'm reading
Former U.S. Sen. Joe Lieberman said on Sunday that the No Labels group intends to select a presidential ticket in April in Dallas. Lieberman, one of the founders of the bipartisan group, was on Fox News Sunday where he told host Shannon Bream that the American people are looking for an option beyond the two major parties. He said he's not interested in being a spoiler for either party, but will only put forth a candidate if they believe they can win in November 2024.
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