The ability to access affordable energy resources without excessive government intrusion goes far beyond the oil and gas sector's mantra of jobs creation, according to The Wall Street Journal columnist and Fox News contributor John Fund. At its core, it's about America's freedom.

“America's exceptionalism in the world is built in part because we have a vibrant economy, and cheap and affordable energy has been at the center of our success,” said Fund, speaking to oil and gas producers at Hart Energy's Executive Oil Conference in Midland recently. “When you take away energy, you take away freedom.”

Instead, the oil and gas industry should soundly denounce extremists and trumpet its successes, something it has been lax in doing while diligently focused on drilling.

“You have a golden opportunity,” he said, referring to the Energy Information Administration's recent report that the U.S. will soon surpass Russia as the world's leading oil and gas producer. “You have a headline that no one expected.”

How many people believed the U.S. would become the No. 1 energy producer in the world? “That was what you built,” he said. “Point out that incredible success, and that (future) success is in danger if you don't have the proper response from the federal government.”

He joked that President Obama's campaign promise, when he said he was “for all of the above” regarding energy sources, actually meant he was against resources below the ground.

More than framing political discussions around jobs, the energy industry must communicate to the average person why excessive government control and taxation of energy production is bad for them, he said. Short-term, higher gasoline and electricity costs will hobble economic growth. Longer term, America's global status will wane.

“You have to make that contrast and fight it at home. Energy production is not just about the economy,” he said. “It's about freedom. You have to keep fighting for energy.”

—Steve Toon

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