Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) is being dragged on social media after saying that providing direct assistance to Americans won’t work to alleviate the pain at the gas pump and suggesting that more drilling is the only solution to bring down gas prices amid Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
“Free gas cards won’t work. Stimulus checks won’t work,” Jordan wrote on Twitter. “Want to bring down gas prices? Open up American drilling,” he added.
It didn’t take long for critics to remind the Ohio congressman that oil companies are sitting in thousands of drilling permits and that they are artificially raising prices in order to line their pockets.
Indeed. As Jordan and congressional Republicans attempt to blame the Biden administration for the high gas prices, oil companies are reporting record-breaking profits.
According to Politifact, Exxon Mobil made $23 billion in profit for 2021. Chevron also experienced its most profitable year since 2014, with the company reporting in January that it made $15.6 billion in revenue for 2021.
BP reported it made $12.85 billion in 2021, with $4.1 billion being made in the fourth financial quarter. Reuters reported the quarterly profit was the largest the company has had since 2013. The news service also reported that Shell made significant profits in 2021, earning $19.29 billion for the year, up from $4.85 billion in 2020. In the final financial quarter of 2021, the company earned $6.4 billion, Shell’s highest quarterly profit since 2014, Politifact reported.
Check Jordan’s tweet and some of the responses below:
Free gas cards won’t work.
Stimulus checks won’t work.
Want to bring down gas prices? Open up American drilling.
— Rep. Jim Jordan (@Jim_Jordan) March 25, 2022
There are 9,000 unused drilling permits, and oil executives have already admitted that they're keeping supply low to boost profits.
Stop being such a shill, Jim. pic.twitter.com/f7MyYkRBWk
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) March 25, 2022
Do you want to talk to the oil companies sitting on their leases and not drilling or the obscene profits they are making?
Or does the truth not fit your narrative?
— Frank Sokol (@franksokol) March 25, 2022
American drillers are sitting on a gazillion permits to drill, Gym.
Guess what?
They’re not drilling.
I’m sure you can head over to those big oil companies in your jacketless best, and demand that they stop trying to artificially raise prices in order to line their pockets.
👍🏻 pic.twitter.com/Zk90Blu3zY— Jo 🌻 (@JoJoFromJerz) March 25, 2022
Nah. I got a better idea. Why don't you stop taking handouts from oil companies and demand the overpaid execs lower the gas prices?!?!
— 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 Still I Rise! 🇺🇸 🇺🇲 💙🌊 (@shepersisted76) March 25, 2022
Who else wants to see Jim Jordan testify about his 10 minute phone call with Donald Trump during the deadly insurrection?🤚🤚🤚
— Lara reads banned books in Florida (@MadeInTheUSANJ) March 25, 2022
This is all on you!! https://t.co/VtbSm2qAeL
— RepublicansAreNotPatriots (@demstrongusa) March 26, 2022
American drilling is "opened up" Gym. That's not why gas prices are up *globally.*
— Bruno in the Bay (@BrunoTheGreat32) March 25, 2022
— Kelly (@Kellyk1969) March 25, 2022
Then telling the American companies to use their 9000 unused drilling permits.
— PC (@PegCain1) March 25, 2022
nope, tell big oil to stop price gouging.
Jim, they are celebrating high profits.
Where's your legislation addressing this issue?
Do you actually do any work?— UtesBy5! 🇺🇦 🇺🇦 🇺🇦 (@TazioNuvolari37) March 25, 2022
— Anomaly♡s Army (@edmeyer_able) March 25, 2022
