Last week, I watched as President Biden promised a return to the “restless, bold optimism” of yesteryear.

Yet even as he opined on his commitment to govern for all Americans, his staff was quietly working to deprive vast swathes of citizens the opportunity to earn a living, lift themselves from poverty, and pursue the American dream.

These actions came in the form of executive orders – no doubt the first of many – effectively terminating the Keystone XL pipeline and oil and gas projects on Alaska’s North Slope.

Many will claim these actions are right and proper. Rising stars in the Democratic Party have long been responsible for spreading outright falsehoods about society’s ability to divorce itself from the resources under our feet.

While tweeting from phones and offices filled with every imaginable mineral and petroleum product, they demand an end to the very industry that makes the modern world possible.

President Biden, like myself, a son of Scranton’s coal country, is smart enough to know better. But the war on resources is far too valuable a source of political capital. In the words of countless political advisors, “Never lose your allies to make peace with your enemies.”

In this case, the millions of Americans who stand to benefit from inexpensive energy and the opportunity that accompanies responsible resource development are squarely in the crosshairs.

The true tragedy is that the least fortunate among us will suffer the most.

Having spent nearly 20 years living and teaching in rural Alaska, I’ve witnessed the tremendous positive impact that Red Dog Mine brought to the Northwest Arctic. Residents once faced plagued by dwindling economic options, now make nearly twice the average income in Alaska while graduation rates have skyrocketed.

The full story can be read here.