A conservative advocacy group is taking its energy independence message to Times Square in New York City, putting up a large billboard that calls on President Joe Biden to say "nyet" — Russian for no — to Vladimir Putin's oil.
"In order to start reversing the damage done, we urge Biden to reverse course on his socialist energy policies that have put us in this mess we are facing today," Job Creators Network (JCN) CEO Alfredo Ortiz wrote in a statement Tuesday to Newsmax. "It's time to drill-baby-drill. Produce more, pay less. It's that simple, Joe.
"This is the best first step he can take to start putting record high inflation in check. And it's all completely in his control. Stop being more afraid of AOC and the progressives than of Putin."
The billboard features an image of Vladimir Putin with a headline reading, "Hey Vlad. Screw You! Nyet to Russian Oil. Time for American oil. Drill More, Pay Less. C'Mon Joe. This ain't hard."
The ad echoes the long-time calls of former President Donald Trump, who has been an energy independence hawk, having achieved that goal during his administration, only to see Biden unwind it quickly upon assuming the White House just over a year ago.
"Biden has proven that one person can make a difference, but in this particular case, not for good and all in just one year," Ortiz's statement began. "And it all started day one of his administration with the cancellation of the Keystone XL Pipeline, and other measures that took us from energy independence to energy dependence on foreign oil — including Russia."
Despite the Biden administration failing to stop a Putin-led invasion of Ukraine through sanctions, the U.S. continues to buy millions of barrels of Russian oil daily.
"And with each drop of oil we buy from the Russians, we are helping to finance Putin's war on the Ukraine, and his march to crush freedom and democracy in Europe," Ortiz continued.
"We must declare the radical left's 'Green New Deal' thinking dead here in the U.S. once and for all. Brent crude oil prices have gone from $20 per barrel in April 2020, to just shy of $100 per barrel, two years later — a five-fold increase.
"This has created havoc on the U.S. economy leading to the highest inflation numbers we have seen in 40 years. And this is not only hurting everyday Americans, but our 30 million small business owners that have had to endure ineffective lockdowns and mandates, labor shortages, and supply chain issues."
Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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