Ramifications of the Green New Deal and What Conservatives Need to Know About Medical Cannabis

On Tuesday, July 19, 2022, Kim Monson explores how misguided energy policies devastate everyday Americans’ budgets with Laramie Energy CEO Bob Boswell, and receives an education on medical cannabis from West Point graduate and Army veteran Pam Long.

Green New Deal Policies Devastate American Families

Start listening at 29:54 – Hour 1

Bob Boswell, CEO of Laramie Energy, breaks down how policies rooted in the Green New Deal have directly contributed to skyrocketing energy costs that burden American families. Boswell explains that the Green New Deal was wielded as a political weapon, creating unrealistic predictions of catastrophe within ten years to push an agenda that has increased energy costs and decreased development.

Germany serves as a cautionary tale. After embracing wind and solar policies as replacements rather than supplements to reliable energy, the nation now faces energy vulnerability and has been forced to reopen coal plants. Natural gas prices in Europe run ten times higher than U.S. prices. Boswell emphasizes that the cruelty of current policies falls hardest on those who can least afford rising energy costs.

The solution, Boswell argues, requires policies that encourage supply rather than dampen demand. The Biden administration has labeled the oil and gas industry as one it intends to put out of business, discouraging investment and development. Capital markets have followed suit, with institutions virtue signaling against fossil fuel investments despite hydrocarbons remaining the bedrock of American energy production.

“Well, I think we need to have policies that encourage supply, not dampen demand. What we need to focus on is let’s focus on policies that encourage the development of our resources.”

Bob Boswell, CEO, Laramie Energy

Understanding Medical Cannabis from a Conservative Perspective

Start listening at 68:16 – Hour 2

Pam Long, a West Point graduate and former captain in the Army Medical Service Corps, challenges common misconceptions conservatives hold about cannabis. Long explains that the very name “marijuana” was created by lobbyists in the 1930s to demonize the plant through negative association, with DuPont, Hearst, and Mellon leading the charge to protect their petrochemical, paper, and oil industries.

Long reveals that pharmaceutical companies hold patents on cannabis dating to 2003, recognizing its medical value as a neuroprotectant effective against conditions including stroke, trauma, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and HIV dementia. The pharmaceutical version costs roughly ten times more than locally grown organic products available in Colorado dispensaries. This disparity illustrates how big government and big business work together to restrict affordable alternatives.

As a mother of a son with developmental disabilities who faces seizure risks, Long uses medical cannabis to keep her child alive. She points out that many recreational dispensary customers are actually seeking relief from chronic pain, anxiety, Crohn’s disease, and other conditions. Veterans weaning off harmful opioids represent another significant population finding relief through cannabis.

“If you support medical freedom to reject any vaccine or any drug, then we must also support freedom to access alternatives like cannabis.”

Pam Long, West Point Graduate, Former Army Medical Service Corps Captain