Electoral and energy realities caught up with Joe Biden last week. On Monday, in a speech in Pittsburgh, the Democratic presidential nominee said “I am not banning fracking. Let me say that again: I am not banning fracking.” Biden’s declaration has gained lots of attention from the Trump campaign and various media outlets. But his acknowledgment of the importance of hydraulic fracturing is a recognition of practical politics, the critical role that natural gas now plays in the U.S. electric grid, and how the shale revolution has saved consumers at least $1 trillion over the past decade. Those lower energy costs are ... (full story)