At first, I thought it had to be some strange typo: the department of energy has started calling natural gas “freedom gas” made up of “molecules of U.S. freedom”. But no, apparently this is a trial balloon that has been flung about before.
Energy Secretary Rick Perry, a former Texas governor, has equated natural gas with “freedom” in the past. In January 2018, Perry told Fox Business that giving allies access to energy choices is a “priceless” kind of freedom.
“The United States is not just exporting energy, we’re exporting freedom,” Perry said.
One of the first people to have called the export “freedom gas” appears to have been a European journalist from the platform Euractiv. While the Perry was visiting Brussels in April, the journalist asked if “freedom gas” was an accurate description.
Perry agreed, saying that the U.S. is “again delivering a form of freedom” to Europe. “And rather than in the form of young American soldiers, it’s in the form of liquefied natural gas.”
The American people can’t possibly be as stupid as Rick Perry, can they?
I’m also wondering what they’ve been huffing down there in the department of energy.
Jazzlet says
And flammable freedom ain’t cheap.
Akira MacKenzie says
Ah yes, good old Freedom Gas to cook Fredom Fries, served with a glass of
Victory GinFreedom Beer!nomdeplume says
“The American people can’t possibly be as stupid as Rick Perry, can they?” Well, combining this with “Project Blitz”, and an approval rating of 40+ for the dumbest man to lead any country ever, the answer clearly is yes. Have a feeling people will look back on the start of the 21st century as marking the beginning of the end of the American experiment in democracy.
blf says
“Yerdoomed gas”, specialising in global heating & climate disruption.
Also, Exxon shareholders say no to climate change proposals: “[…] environmental resolutions are soundly rejected in defeat for anti-fossil-fuel activists.”
Crip Dyke, Right Reverend Feminist FuckToy of Death & Her Handmaiden says
In order for the American people to be as stupid as Rick Perry, you’d have to eliminate three things.
Free K-12 education,
A critical, inquisitive media,
and,
uh,
gijoel says
Not so much stupid as willfully ignorant.
newfie says
Will the USDA next label corn as “Super Happy Fun Starch”?
ridana says
Global warming = cozy nap time.
microraptor says
We officially are the parody universe.
blf says
microraptor@9, Ssssh! Yer not supposed to let ’em know!
chigau (違う) says
I want a Wall along the 49th parallel.
Before it’s too late.
wzrd1 says
@5 perhaps, using natural vermilion red for food coloring? With a side of lead oxide white for white food coloring?
blf says
From the Gruaniad’s report, US energy department rebrands fossil fuels as : “ the energy secretary [Rick Perry] said earlier this month, according to EURACTV.”
For a bit of background here, the concern, which ignores the elephant
in the roomon the planet of global heating, is Russia supplies c.40% of the gas consumed in the EU.Ed Seedhouse says
Is what Trump releases from his asshole “natural” gas? Does Pence get high on breathing it in?
John Morales says
I remember https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_fries
(Obs, I’m surely not the only one)
garydargan says
The Gulf War gave us “Freedom Fries” but it was all about Iraq’s oil. At least this time around there is a vague shred of honesty from the administration. The coming war with Iran is all about the gas.
slithey tove (twas brillig (stevem)) says
re @15:
beat me to it
slithey tove (twas brillig (stevem)) says
re @16
freedom fries was snapping at the French for not supporting us invading Iraq.
umm [reconsidering my remark] slapping the French was only the excuse, Big Oil was the reason. I agree with @16
jrkrideau says
@ 11 chigau
It is in hand.
Trudeau Orders Building of Wall Along Canada-US Border
https://medium.com/@1mlinks/trudeau-orders-building-of-wall-along-canada-us-border-2c78698f32d1
jrkrideau says
@ 13 blf
Russia supplies c.40% of the gas consumed in the EU.
And much more cheaply than it can be supplied from the USA even if we ignore the need to build LNG handling port facilities.
Frankly, given Trump’s mad flinging of sanctions around, Russia looks like a safer bet for security of supply. If you live in northern Germany you probably don’t want Trump cutting off the gas in January.
As I understand it, the USSR supplied natural gas to Western Europe through much of the Cold War. Besides, Russia needs the income.
Ray Ceeya says
I would love to give Rick Perry a freshman college level quiz on thermodynamics. I’m pretty sure he doesn’t know shit about energy. Seems like something your Secretary of Energy should know. I can honestly say I would be a better S-of-E than him. I at least studied ENGINEERING, not Animal Science. And I have one hell of a “gotchya” question.
Mr. Perry, which source of fuel has both an HHV and a LHV, Diesel or gasoline. The correct answer, is a question, “By weight or, by volume?”.
That’s the kind of knowledge we really need running that department.
chrislawson says
People will make themselves exactly as stupid as they need to maintain their delusions of superiority.
sirrod says
Whenever I hear the word ‘freedom’ bandied about, it always puts me in mind of a Star Treck episode characters repeated exclamation—‘Freedom, Freedom, Kirk say sacred word’ !
madtom1999 says
And the bullets used to sell the stuff can be called Freedom Jelly Beans!
Dunc says
Well, the people of Texas were stupid enough to elect him as governor three times…
blf says
But Texas — or at least much of it — acts like it not part of Earth, and possibly isn’t even from a universe with the same laws of physics.
johnson catman says
There is no need for “The Onion” anymore. This administration has so far eclipsed anything that would have been laughed at uncontrollably if published there a few years ago.
Marcus Ranum says
If freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose then it all works.
blf says
Recently in The Onion, Glowing, Cackling McConnell Levitates Above Senate After Realizing Chamber’s Rules Only Self-Imposed Mental Construct. Also, Report: Massive Hypocrisy Just Flat-Out Gets The Job Done:
And Corner Store Customers Saddened By Sight Of Frantic Trump Doing Scratch-Off Tickets Right On Counter:
bcwebb says
I’m confused, I though “Freedom Gas” was a euphemism for farting in public?
Tabby Lavalamp says
Maybe if the US stopped exporting all its freedom it would have enough to go around for its own citizens.