Robert Reich in his Substack newsletter has been advocating for a windfall profits tax as one component of a more sensible way to control inflation than simply raising interest rates. The other components are temporary price controls, higher taxes on the very wealthy, and vigorous anti-trust enforcement. See https://robertreich.substack.com/p/who-will-bear-the-pain among other posts (search on a favorite keyword or phrase to get a list of relevant posts).
Shipping companies! 1000% rise in profits in the last three years - no that’s not a typo. Though they are not based here, that basic 15% minimum corporate tax that was just instituted will help their country of origin at least but let’s lower their profits here since we are the big consumers. More important than ever to help get out the vote and vote blue!
Street presence makes a political statement. Witness the new British prime minister ditched her intention to slash taxes for the Uber rich as a consequence of continuing street protests. Given the depth of corporate entrenchment (Congress, Ukraine War, and Supreme Court) and mass of States curtailing the vote - do you honestly believe just voting is enough to turn this tide around? Might something more active be required?
Some decent messaging by Dems would help. I have yet to see a political ad that mentions the likelihood that Republicans will sunset SS, Medicare and Medicaid. Why is that.
Thank you for referencing these websites. Very informative and helpful. As usual, the average American takes it on the chin so that the well-heeled can continue to bask in obscene wealth and luxury. Reading Reich's piece, I walk away believing that the Biden Admin should be far more aggressive in taxing corporations.
There's also the NOPEC bill in Congress which removes OPEC's protection from prosecution for price collusion. Karine Jen-Pierre mentioned today that Biden is "reassessing" his position on the legislation. That will hurt them bad.
Our neighbor, an ex-banker, said just this week that a lot of the problem with inflation is just price gouging and he also predicted a recession. This is just another way we are in thrall to greedy elites who in many ways run the country.
Robert Reich would agree with your ex-banker neighbor. He (Reich) argues, with supporting data, that the current inflation is not driven by higher wages, i.e., increased demand, but rather by higher profits. Drawn as curves, the two forces can be seen to diverge significantly. Another way of phrasing "profit-price inflation" would be "price gouging." Not so polite maybe, but hey, if the shoe fits...
Not to digress too badly here, but using only monetary policy (i.e., manipulating interest rates to control inflation) is rather like having a hammer as your only tool and coming to see every problem as a nail. While the Fed has its role, it's also a convenient way for Congress to evade its responsibility to pass legislation to deal with economic problems such as excess corporate pricing power and price gouging. The Fed can do only so much; Congress has to grow a pair and step up to the other needed measures (windfall profits tax, price controls, anti-trust legislation, higher tax on the very wealthy). Bernie Sanders and a few others in Congress get it, but I'm not counting on Congress to get its collective head out of its you-know-what anytime soon and actually deal with the problem meaningfully.
The thing is during every recession the rich get richer.... It sucks. But the effect of price gouging and keeping supply low is definitely having an effect on inflation. I wish that more people weren't blind to it.
That recession will be a result of the Fed continuing to raise interest rates-that appears to be all they do these days. Robert Reich has remarked on this and is against it.
I agree Arthur. We should have taxed gas directly at a high rate for ages. Oil prices SHOULD be fantastically high.
Are we not trying to come up with ways to move to sustainable energy sources? To do that don't we need to begin the process of raising prices on oil to begin to push people in that direction before the worlds oil reserves are just gone?
Independent of the election, which, I am sure the Saudi's are trying to influence, don't we all need to recognize that oil is not forever? The way humans are structured today, if we pump the final drop of oil from the earth (and at some point we will) there will be calamity and mass die off (of humans).
We MUST begin the process of reducing oil consumption worldwide and ESPECIALLY in America which has a small population but uses 40% of the world's oil.
Me? I think that it is long, long, long past time to tax the heck out of oil making it a prize commodity instead of a cheap one.
Also, if Americans blame Biden for higher oil prices they are just stupid. Which, honestly, since so many of them drive ridiculously large vehicles we might form that hypothesis anyway.
So, maybe the Saudi's are giving us all a push we need to wake up and realize, oil is going to be gone, and, in the not too distant future.
Long ago we should have done what Europe has done and made gas expensive to force people to drive small cars and begin to move to more sustainable energy sources.
I wholeheartedly agree Mike. And, most Americans don’t realize how much the federal government subsidizes the oil companies. We pay for it with our taxes and the oil companies get huge tax write offs, cheap leases, and the ability to price gouge and run up some of the largest profits of any companies in the country. All while paying next to nothing in taxes! It’s insane!
You haven’t said it for a long time, Mike. On so many levels, the problem with America is Americans. (I’d take it a step beyond, and quote Pogo: “We have met the enemy and he is us.”)
Ally, I received some good feedback that using that sentence was not appropriate for this forum. It was pretty scathing feedback, but, as a long time member of the research world, I am fairly used to both providing and receiving scathing feedback, so, no big deal.
However, after some thought, I agreed that bucketing all Americans into the dumb bucket, just because MOST Americans are dumb, is not appropriate.
:-)
After all, Dr. Richardson is an American, and, I bet she is a passionate American even though she knows our ugly history.
I would counter this with we are not talking dumb as the only problem. There are others: being wasteful, unwilling to make changes in our lives that would help the common good, unable to look past a soundbite/TV personality for information and other behaviors that are not in the National/public best interests.
I have never viewed the Pogo quote as saying people are dumb. I see it as many not looking closely at themselves as contributing to a problem and continuing to make poor decisions. We have quite a few people in our neighborhood who try to be as obnoxious and loud as possible with their vehicles and motorcycles. I view them as obnoxious. We have quite a spat going on at the end of the street where one person is running an eye sore business out of her house and is thoroughly loathed by everyone at that end. But she is suing the people across the street for "not being good neighbors". She also posted on NextDoor this week and stirred up a hornet's nest of nastiness directed at them. We have too many people who want to do what they want to do regardless of others and that is selfishness, not stupidity.
Very little consideration or concern for others is being taught at home…it’s leading to a totally classless, selfish and uncaring world. Seems to be getting worse by the year.
Thanks Jerry. But, I stopped using that phrase, as catchy as it is. Some folks took offense, and, I decided I am not here to offend people but to learn and contribute thoughts rather than inflammation.
Some, methinks, are overly sensitive, perhaps? We have genuine trolls here and you are most assuredly not one of them! Those people seek only to inflame. I have read discussions/debates you have been part of and when a counterpoint is made that enlightens you, you acknowledge that point.
Yes, indeed! Remove all subsidies from these multinational behemoths. Then tax the crap out of them, sending the money directly to a new smarter, safer electric grid - under government supervision - that can carry the juice from renewable sources to the point of use.
We are focused on EVs but we are not focused on how we will charge them. The IRA does begin to address this, but our grid is in pathetic shape. It is vulnerable and incapable of accommodating the conveyance of electricity from the Earth friendly sources of production we tout.
Is that "social engineering" or "socialism"? I don't give a shit what we call it. It is just common sense - if we think we have a future on this planet.
When we are driving here in Salem, OR, we are often passed on city streets by huge trucks or souped up roaring cars. We drive a Prius Prime, so we can leave them in the dust if we want without burning a single bit of gas....we are now getting over 900 mpg as we have haven't been out of town for quite some time. Our solar panels provide the electricity for the car and we have had two months with 0 electricity bill. Yes, this will change somewhat in the winter time, but not too much.
whitehouse.gov/cleanenergy. Get your bargain rebates on solar panels, electric cars, heat pumps! Step right up! And you can thank the democrats for the Inflation Reduction Act with your vote.
And PLASTICS, which use the dirtiest of fracked oil to continue to pump out their polluting product, and are destroying not only underserved, poor communities where their products are made but our entire ecosystem. And not just plastics: petroleum products are found in so much of what we purchase as consumers.
Yes! But we have fallen for our “exceptional” propaganda. Look at FL. Could have been prevented. Private joke since ‘16: When will Rubio’s state be under water so he has nowhere to be from? Dark humor, but having watched the gallop of climate change up close from 2002, and knowing the history of James Hansen before Congress in 1988, perhaps I can be forgiven.
Long ago we should also built better public transportation. It is delightful to visit countries where other options are better than your private automobile, especially your gas guzzler. In Denmark electric vehicle charging stations outnumber gas stations. Bicycles are everywhere.
We had trains! The Pennsylvania Railroad of the 19th century was a model for the world. We had trains until after WWII! The small towns of the Midwest were connected by trains. Amtrak still uses some of the trackage between Charlottesville, VA and Chicago. I have seen the old maps!
Bordeaux, Lyon, and Munich are the systems I remember best in Europe. All rebuilt after WWII, of course.
Bicycles: where there is decent medical care for all, every body can stay fit walking and riding bicycles. I have seen that in small French towns.
This morning I read an LTE that discussed how the cost of renewable energy has dropped over the past 30 years. Here's an excerpt from the LTE: "When it comes to inflation and utility bills, Sununu (NH Gov.)says Democrats are at fault (they aren’t). In comparing New Hampshire to neighboring states, it becomes clear that Sununu is responsible for N.H. being at the mercy of fossil fuels. During his three terms as governor, Sununu has protected the oil and gas industry to the detriment of the environment and the economy. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative was intended to promote energy efficiency, but under Sununu, RGGI funds were diverted to consumer rebates averaging $7.50 per household. Net metering is a way to reduce municipal energy costs, but over the objection of mayors of 12 of our 13 cities, Sununu vetoed Democrat-sponsored bills that would implement it.
NHSaves, a program to cut energy costs, would be funded by a System Benefits Charge of $2.26 per month per household, but the Sununu-appointed Public Utility Commission (consisting of a climate change denier and others with no background in energy), has blocked it.
Sununu’s PUC also slow-walked Community Power Aggregation rules that would let towns negotiate with energy suppliers.Solar power is now the cheapest source of electricity, its cost dropping over 90% in three decades, but Sununu has opposed it, as well as wind farms in the Gulf of Maine. Meanwhile, Maine is buying renewable energy costing a tenth of fossil fuel-generated energy costs.
Under Sununu, our N.H. target to buy electricity from clean sources over the next decade (25%) is a third that of Maine and Vermont (75-80%).
In 2019-2020 Sununu, who has received huge contributions from utility companies, vetoed more than 60 Democrat-sponsored bills, many of them designed to cut energy costs. And he bragged about it.
Now, without alternatives, fossil energy rates are increasing and Sununu pretends he’s a hero for handing out $60 million of state funds to help consumers – using tax dollars to win votes while maximizing profits for the oil and gas industry." (BTB, we're trying to vote Sununu out.)
All three Sununus have a dark and evil past. Here is his Dad's (from wiki)
Legacy:
In his report Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change, Nathaniel Rich wrote that in November 1989 Sununu prevented the signing of a 67-nation commitment to freeze carbon dioxide emissions, with a reduction of 20 percent by 2005, and singled him out as a force starting coordinated efforts to bewilder the public on the topic of global warming and changing it from an urgent, nonpartisan and unimpeachable issue to a political issue, and an increasingly intractable one.
Grrr! Not surprised though-he was a Reganite if I remember correctly. His son is no better- he conveniently decided that his family ski area should qualify as an economic opportunity zone.
Yes, greed! And their own grandchildren aren’t likely to suffer as much as the grandchildren of low income and often undereducated followers of despots and liars. Like TFG and his handlers. Without regulations we’re sunk.
They think their wealth will save them. We are getting at the point where money is not going to make much difference. I have an ex-h.s. classmate who lives in Naples, for example, which I understand is quite the rich town and I saw the vids of the flooding there. She, while intelligent, is a true believer and I had to cut emails because I couldn't get her past politics and all caps.
Agreed. However, filing a full-on class action lawsuit against oil companies for their knowing atrocities against the earth for the last 50 years, seems like the ultimate play. Let’s do it, and make it along the lines of the class action suit against tobacco, wherein the people hurt the most by the carbon-evoked snd accelerated climate change are recipients of the settlements. The children and their families who have lived and died with asthma due to the environmental racism of positioning refineries by the poorest neighborhoods, the CA Paradise Valley folks, the people who’ve experienced the acceleration of carbon-fueled climate change in the form of Katrina, Florence, Fiona, and on and on including the catastrophic tornadoes, floods, droughts, heat waves, fires, fires, fires, and more that have fouled air, water, lungs, lives. A class-action suit against these monsters who are profiting off of war and have lied for 50 years about the impact of climate change is a way to stop them, force change, educate the public with the information brought forth in the trial, create the beginnings of equity (think of Exxon and other CEOs making in a day what some make in a lifetime!) and give HOPE to generations dying of despairicides due to a sense of hopelessness, haplessness, helplessness against this demon greed in our capitalist system that is killing is all (think foods meant to make us hungrier, drugs with deadly side effects, systemic racism, poverty, placism [when people are STUCK living with poisons, as in Jackson, MS and Flint, MI, because they don’t have funds to move or new places to go] vs. clean food, healing circles, family and neighborhood support systems, community gardens, more.)
When Ronald Reagan won in 1980 and started his reign by ripping Jimmy Carter’s solar panels off the White House I wept. It was the end of a brilliant push away from fossil fuels and modeling how well alternative powers sources could work. Gearing up a class action suit to take on big oil won’t give us a re-do going back 42 years, but it sure could help. Greenpeace or some members of congress could file the suit.
It’s hard to define windfall profits. Better to raise the maximum corporate tax rate, require companies to pay tax on all income earned here (wherever the corporation is organized), and institute a much more aggressive antitrust policy.
An alternative would be eliminating the subsidies and tax breaks the oil companies get and, more generally, eliminating the tax deduction for interest on business loans.
Wait a minute. Perhaps you can help me with this. I too, would like to slam the "companies" raking in the record profits. Don't these companies have stock holders or aren't there mutual fund investors who benefit financially from these profits? And, aren't some of these "investors", "some"...fortunate enough to be able to make little progress toward having a little income in addition to social security before kicking the bucket? Well? Now, if you are saying the "companies" are sucking on offshore tax or investment loopholes (...?) and taking advantage of an un-even playing field.., hohoho... then, to me, therein exists the problem. And, not the ability to make great profits legally. And, I do not consider corporations to be 'a citizen'.
Yes, in publicly-owned corporations the profits, or most of them (the part that doesn't go to obscene executive compensation) are distributed to shareholders. And yes, theoretically, the shareholders thereby benefit by having more money in their pockets. And yes again, about 58% of people own stock (from https://news.gallup.com/poll/266807/percentage-americans-owns-stock.aspx).
- The wealthiest 10% of American households now own 89% of all U.S. stocks, a record high that highlights the stock market’s role in increasing wealth inequality.
- The top 1% gained over $6.5 trillion in corporate equities and mutual fund wealth during the pandemic, according to the latest data from the Federal Reserve.
- The bottom 90% of Americans held about 11% of stocks, and added $1.2 trillion in wealth during the Covid-19 pandemic.
So while what you say isn't incorrect, it doesn't capture the problem. The profits generated by higher prices are going disproportionately to the already-rich, by a ratio of more than 5.4:1.
In other words, that Everyman can buy shares of some company and receive dividends doesn't in any way imply equitable or meaningful distribution of wealth throughout the economy.
It...."IT" will never be a level playing field. However, recognizing the tilt being inflicted upon 95% of Americans since the 20's, so patently made visible thx to technology, IT simply cannot be sustained. And, try as they wish, the "R" party, led by Red necks//Religiots, and Reprobates.., they will not endure. "They" are built to fail. Yeah.. hohoho.., feel free, quote me on all this :)) TheMadRussian12A.
You are failing to make the distinction between the corporation and its shareholders. The record profits that these oil companies are pulling in do not belong to the shareholders; not in any legal sense, and not in any practical or equitable sense. These profits are no more the shareholders' property than a citizen of the United States 'owns' any fractional part of the United States Treasury, or that of any of the constituent States. Shareholder value is recognized only to the extent that (a) share ownership entitles the holder to such dividends as the Corporation Board of Directors authorizes to be paid on a pro rata basis; and (b) the cash value of the share when realized through sale or exchange of that share whether through sale, barter, or exchange for new shares of some different value, such as when their stock splits, or stock redemptions, and so on and so forth. As we have seen time and again over the past several decades, the way a corporation puffs up investor value has been through the mechanism of buying back common shares in the company, thereby profiting existing shareholders, either when they sell their shares back to the company for premium over what they paid for the stock, or by exploiting the artificial scarcity caused by the Corporation's buyback program. Large corporations act largely independently of the interests of their shareholders; and individual shareholders' interests in the company are too often minuscule to make a difference in matters of corporate governance. If a corporation's repurchase shares are not officially retired, it is conceivable that management can vote those repurchase shares to serve its own particular interests, which may turn out to be quite different from the interests of the public shareholders. The less public regulation we have, the more we can expect to see abusive management practices that disadvantage individual shareholders for the favored few insiders within the corporation, who get to act as if they were owners, even though they are not. What counts is control over how corporate assets are managed and allocated, rather than who owns them.
Thanks Arthur for your encompassing response. So, according to what you have delivered here, the "playing field" is not level. Well..! Just as I suspected, therein exists the problem. All "their" crony's and crony-ites have worked hard to arrange "the system" to achieve their goals.., one after the other. Were one to offer that "their" success in doing so could in any way be due to the kindness and trust of hard working Americans would be one helluva a stretch. More obviously, "their" success was due to public ignorance, fully cultivated by a diet rich in manure. And that, my friend, is why I, a mere mortal, must search for answers so late in my life. My only saving grace? Aha.., being a fan of Samuel Longhorn Clements, who implored upon us our duty to "stir the pot" lest the scum rise to the top. Whew! I'm afraid "The Scum" has indeed ARISEN. Thanks again for your help Arthur. Sincerely.
Glad we agree. My area of legal expertise was never in the stratospheric reaches of corporate law practice. What we've created is a legal monster that has all but swallowed us up.
If not, this should be a lead in sentence, "While subsidies, from your and my tax dollars, to big oil continue..." Hohoho... I'm sure someone here will dig up that answer. Either way, if it equates to keeping these 'apparent gluttons' in business while we transition to other forms of energy, I'll continue to deal with it.
“The decision of OPEC+ to cut production is not simply about prices. It is about the ongoing struggle over democracy playing out in Ukraine, as the Ukrainians fight off the Russian invaders.”
Sorry, Mike. But it’s Putin’s mouth to Trump’s ear that we have to think about. I wonder if it’s Putin who told Trump both what to take with him and how to disguise them.
maybe - maybe not. if he goes... who do we think will step in?? probably not someone we're gonna like. Putin's big 7-0 birthday is tomorrow (10/7) ... not sure how that bodes for anyone, including him.
Suz, you’ll have to pardon me but I don’t give a shit about Putin’s birthday. I do care about the atrocities that he has committed and is continuing to do. He has one finger on the button that could obliterate the human race and the other is in his ear so that he doesn’t hear his generals talking sense into him. He’s insane and should be taken out with whatever force possible. Navalny should be freed and take over Russia.
Yes please! You have plenty of support in your wishing Putin gone, and a popular leader like Navalny replace him. Wasn't one of the things Navalny based his protests on was corruption of Putin and the Russian Oligarchy? I suppose it would be to much to ask of a country with a history like Russia, to pick and elevate a good leader. As a country, they have almost never chosen wisely. It almost always is the meanest dirtiest mad dog who comes out on top!
Whether it's Ivan the Terrible, Peter I, Catherine II, Stalin or Putin, "chosen" is the wrong word.
Now there are immensely powerful forces at work in the world and, crucially, in the United States set on turning country -- and planet -- into places where choice is unknown, because stolen and stashed away by a bunch of self-appointed oligarchs.
Snyder has written well about this.
Now we're coming to the crunch.
Expect a very hard ride over the coming three years. And so work that the pains we shall face end in a new birth!
Iin! Good to see you back in this forum! I had been wondering about you, since the last time I saw one of your postings, you were bring harassed by Leonard Leo’s “law enforcement” cronies. Hope you are well!
Yes Peter. I am fully aware of this. I agree chosen is a bad verb choice with regards to much of anything regards to people ruling in Russia. Eisenhower warned us about letting lose the power and money of the military industrial complex in this country. Then Reagan did it. Once the business sector of the US got the bit in it's cheeks, they have been tearing down first the societal safety net. Now that and workers rights,
safety, and recompense have also been compromised, they are close to taking away our political and personal rights and freedoms to make us basically slaves to their greedy grab of all Earth's Resources including human.
I, like others in these posts give every cent I have plus anything I can borrow to Democratic Candidates! Go Blue! Whoops, that should be Vote Blue! I accidentally got my cheers mixed up, because I am also a Michigan Wolverine Fan.
AGREE!! Except Go Green!!! Michigan State class of '74! Later taught for that wolverine school though, and 2 of my kids graduated from U of M. We are blessed in Michigan!
That is perhaps an apt metaphor, in that free choice ultimately boils down to a single choice (and currently the wrong one seems dominant, leading away from truth).
Apart from that, I find Asimov's cosmology, with its materialism and its imperial delusions, telling but troubling. Rather like the Raelian cult... And Musk...
Russia isn’t hiding behind a flag. We know its history and that it’s not a democracy. And with Putin at the top, the people aren’t picking their leader. Elections are a sham. And then there is our country, a democracy that is in danger of losing its way, a two party system with one party embracing lies and following TFG, a wannabe king. Our elections and our courts are endangered. Robert Reich in a recent “Coffee Klatch” asks, “Does Trump want to be the next messiah?” https://robertreich.substack.com/p/does-trump-want-to-be-the-next-messiah?r=ele1&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source=direct
This is no time for mean, carping comments on a man who is being slowly tortured to death for defending truth and freedom. And still defiant, still answering back...
The flirtation with nationalists took place long ago. It was a tactical error, but not a foolish one, at a time when Navalny and others were seeking a practical foothold from which to oppose Putin's all-powerful gangsters' regime.
An error long since surmounted.
If you can think of any political leader now living who shows comparable qualities, I am all ears.
And let us never confuse nationalism with true love of country. Least of all at a time when the only place for an upright citizen in a corrupt empire is in prison. Or in an unmarked grave.
Unless we too stand up and resist the encroaching forces of tyranny, we too may soon find ourselves having to live in such a land.
The snag is, that Russia, culturally, has always been a suppressed culture (except for the aristocrats). They have never experienced what we hold to be democracy (and yes,
ours is quite tainted). There are plenty, I gather, who would like to take Putin's position - who'd be far worse - think Kadarov. Navalny wouldn't stand a chance.
Well... I'm concerned that not only has he backed himself into a corner... now he's feeling that he's becoming more and more irrelevant.. and OLD (especially for a Russian man!!)
So that... to me... makes him even more dangerous and the world situation more precarious. I can well imagine him choosing his big 7-0 to launch a nuclear attack... or worse... THAT's why i mention his birthday. I've been watching the calendar since the invasion, knowing that this big birthday for him... happens soon. And now, it's tomorrow. Hoping he doesn't choose to do anything even more insane.. however it certainly wouldn't surprise me. That's all.
I am 71. I don’t consider myself old. I consider myself and others in my age group to be active and rather savvy. Putin is insane and a dicktator which aligns with Trump’s base of Nazis.
this isn't about how we see ourselves. we're not this crazy, Russian macho man who's mostly isolated himself, looking and feeling weak with such a fragile ego... and is now bringing his 'tactical' nukes by train, across Russia... supposedly to the battlefield... for what???? we don't need nuclear war...!!!
Yes. But it’s Republican presidents who started these wars. Particularly two oil men Bushes. Has anyone out there a copy of the Le Monde week-end magazine section on the Bush family (2018?)?
It seems clear to me that some of these energy conflicts are just forcing us to cut ties with the devils we have been making deals with. I know we have been supporting Saudi Arabia militarily for their war in Yemen, which is horrendous, as seems to be most of what I hear about their leadership, and that goes for Russia too. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-105988
There should be no more bases, military personnel, US weapons sold or military advice to the Saudis, or aid or anything. Also, no technology from the USA. Sanction them too. That is what should happen. Let OPEC countries drink their oil as far as I am concerned. Europe is going to have to figure out their own situation, but the USA should not help OPEC since Russia is benefitting and Saudi Arabia is an unreliable ally. Europe can try to get LNG from Australia, Qatar and USA who are the 3 largest distributors of LNG. https://www.statista.com/statistics/274528/major-exporting-countries-of-lng/
Qatar and Indonesia used to be a member of OPEC. There are other countries who have LNG that are not members of OPEC. No military help for any OPEC country, or technology support. At this point we need to withhold our "friendship" from countries that have been fence sitting or siding with Russia in things of great importance.
Here in the USA we are going to have to tighten our belts. My daughter informed me that she cannot study if she gets cold. It is not really cold yet, but I have told her that she is going to have to change her mindset and relish warm clothing in the home. Or else, she can stay late at school and do her work. These are the struggles that we all have to face as we adjust to a change in lifestyle. I think Americans need to stop being angry at Joe Biden and start looking at what we can do to lessen our dependence on energy. He did not create the problems, he has inherited them. Trump cannot solve the problems not in the short term or in the long run. The planet is frying and along with that comes hurricanes wiping out communities, wildfires wiping out communities, floods wiping out communities, drought wiping out crops, and communities. Our biggest problem might seem to be the cost of fuel, but the carbon fueled energy is making our planet to hot for our species and others to live. How can we live less energy filled lives? We have the most energy intensive lives on the planet and our culture is the most reluctant to change behaviors to accommodate changing realities, or awarenesses. Navigating that is hard. OPEC is doing us a favor if it gets us to cut back and do less. All of these events have to be looked at as opportunities to make changes. I use my revulsion towards Putin and the Saudi leadership to keep me going as I do the difficult things we need to, to get off of fossil fuels, something we are working towards in our home and other areas of our lives.
I agree! Look how well it has worked out for people in Florida where lovely Republicans like Rick Scott the developer became governor to make sure there would be no restrictions on developers making a buck by building homes in hurricane alleys and on wetlands that acted as buffers against storm flooding. They sold a lot of people comfort which they had until they didn't. The amount of discomfort that they are all experiencing now could have been avoided if someone had regulated things, but that is the beauty of Florida their current governor likes to bragg, no regulations.
But this seems to all pass people by - (unless Ian hit them - and even then, it's "I want to get back to the place I was before" ) - we are far too damn comfortable.
Excellent Linda. I keep my tiny house that I rent around 60 degrees. Now that it's getting cold, visitors complain. I am acclimated to my way of living and urge others to be aware of these things too. It seems they are all spoiled and not willing to wear layers in order to be more comfortable. I know it's a small thing I do but when I visit them and have to wear sleeveless in the winter in order to be comfortable in their homes, I think it's ridiculous. I am proof that it can be done.
I would like to add; that the reverse is true when it comes to air-conditioning. Some citizens homes, as well as most businesses, are so cold in the warm months that I must wear layers to be comfortable when visiting.
Most citizens want what they want without understanding the consequences. So onward we go in trying to educate.
Yes Karen, I agree. When I do go into my office during the hotter months, my fingers get numb from the cold and I'm constantly trying to warm my nose up. It's a struggle.
I agree too. I remember going to the University of Illinois at Chicago Campus to drop off some papers for a student in the summer and the door to the building was open to let in warm air in. All of the secretaries had down jackets on and heaters by their feet. It was frigid inside. This contributes to wasted money coming out of tuition which I will not be paying because I don't support this degree of inefficiency. The building was designed with windows that don't open. This is why my husband does not work in his new office either on a different campus. It is also designed to be climate controlled but with windows that don't open. This is a situation all over. I understand that these new HEPA air filters are unbalanced by an open window, but to not have the option is both a fire hazard and traps everyone inside with environmental pollutants even if they say the air filter cleans it. They have to be changed regularly for this system to work. The heavy cologne of my colleagues tells me they are not. We need to either use buildings 24-7 or shut everything down when they are not in use. In the summer, when it reaches the high humidity that it does here overnight, we turn our air conditioning on to 80 degrees. We don't use air conditioning when the temperature is less than 90.
Bravo for your instructions to your daughter! It’s in the tradition of LBJ (turning off lights as he left rooms in the White House) and Jimmy Carter (wearing sweaters in the White House). And who took solar panels off the roof of the White House? Ronald Reagan, of course.
Of course Reagan did this. He wanted to have others solve the problems in the future. Carter of course outlived him and kept true to his values to the end. I grew up turning off lights, and I know that these are continual conversations that will not find acceptance with my daughter, who is at the age to rebel, 17, but she also respects me, so she hears what I am saying and I am sure it will shape her behavior when she is on her own. She just has to find her own way to these ideas. They have to be hers. She just went thrift shopping yesterday for sweaters and jackets that she finds attractive to wear. She is fussy about her clothing, so very slender so it is hard to find things that fit. She has learned to tailor them herself to some extent. I have told her that she needs to take a class to learn this better. We have been talking about sustainable clothing too, and that buying at thrift stores is still buying, but when she goes, she takes clothing to donate. The stores she goes to gives credits for this. There is a cycle. She has gotten good a this. She has also said she will wear looser sweaters in the winter, something I thought she would never do, which means she can wear old things of ours. This is a big compromise because she used to not want to wear thrift clothing. This is her hearing me say that she is too focused on clothing, and trying to accommodate my wishes by going for used clothing and recycling.
We turn off lights, and do not run dishwasher or washing machine when it rains to avoid flooding our sewers. We also do not run them at peak times during heavy usage periods. We try to be aware and schedule around peak usage. Still, we are not always true to this. We compost communally with our neighbors, and the compost goes to local farms, since we cannot use it all.
However, I realize we are far, far from living the life described in this NYT article about Uruguay. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/05/magazine/uruguay-renewable-energy.html Even though they discuss some problems with implementation at the end, we have these problems too, for many people in this country and yet are we trying to adapt to the rhythms of new technologies? It is food for thought.
I remember when I first learned about Reagan removing the solar panels off the White House. I couldn't believe the gall. Now I understand it much better. He was responsible for so many terrible things in our country.
The US has permanent military bases in Saudi Arabia, in part to prop up the Saudi royal family which otherwise doesn’t have a leg to stand on. The US is the main supplier of hardware to the Saudi military. All this ostensibly to keep the oil flowing. Do the Saudi royals really think they’re better off throwing their lot in with Putin and maneuvering to hand control of the US Congress back to Republicans and put TFG back in the White House?
The GOP is silently cheering all this. Their only hope in November is rising prices at the pump. They know they will never prevail with open, honest debate on policy; they have no policy.
The November mid-term elections are a choice between honest and dishonest government.
BTW, I paid $2.99/gal for 87 octane yesterday here in liberal, Democratic Connecticut.
"Their (Republicans) only hope in November is rising prices at the pump."
IF the only way Democrats can win in November is super cheap gas?? Then, America has WAY bigger and more numerous problems than high gas prices.
Because, Joe Biden and the Democrats have about as much influence over oil prices as the squirrel in my backyard.
If Americans are truly so dumb they think Joe Biden suddenly raised gas prices? Well, we get what we deserve if we elect a bunch of nutty Republicans to "represent" themselves and their donors.
Joe Biden is THE best President we have had since Jimmy Carter, a highly effective President who was also disrespected by Americans.
We deserve what we get if we do NOT re-elect the best President we have had in 40 years.
Joe Biden (and by extension the party that passed such effective legislation over the last 2 years).
Mike, I agree with everything you say, and I wish every voter in America did as well, but many do not.
Historical anecdote that may or may not be true but it illustrates my point:
After Democratic presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson gave one of his usual stirring, knowledgeable campaign speeches, an admirer gushed, "Mr. Stevenson, that was a magnificent speech. Every thinking person in America will be voting for you!"
"That's not enough," replied Stevenson. "I need a majority."
Stevenson lost to Republican and war hero Dwight Eisenhower, who would be appalled at what his party has turned into today.
I encourage you to disagree with at least some of what I say just to start a good conversation!!!
The historical account you provide is fascinating and, perhaps, an illustration of what Thomas Jefferson spent his later life worrying about: Education in America.
It is, in fact, difficult for many Americans to become educated for a variety of reasons.
The curriculum is confusing, no longer drumming math and reading into our heads by third grade.
In high school, Americans are all pushing their kids to be Soccer stars or Baseball Stars of Football stars and those activities suck way good reading and education time.
I don't know if there is a solution, but, back when the choice was Adlai Stevenson or Eisenhower, well, honestly, those were two GOOD choices .......
when that happens, nothing to sweat.
But, we no longer have TWO good choices. We only have ONE, and who knows how long that will last.
Ralph, you have activated a long buried memory from elementary school. One morning before the Stevenson-Eisenhower election, a classmate told me that Stevenson stepped on a dog’s tail, the dog barked “Ike, Ike” and Stevenson shot the dog. I was furious. As president, Eisenhower did nothing about the KKK and hangings of Black people in the South but he added “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance. We started the school day with a prayer, the pledge and a patriotic song in public school. I do not want to see those days return. Many maganuts have the mind of an 8 year old. The third of Americans who don’t vote need to come out and vote BLUE.
You definitely caught me in my ignorance about Eisenhower and his blindness toward the violence in the South. Also, I was not aware about the "under God".
And, yes, I said the pledge of Allegiance every morning in my rural ET school.
And re good ole Ike (& his buddy Churchill): let’s not forget that his CIA was responsible for the assassination of Iran’s only truly democratically elected PM, Mohammed Mosaddegh, for the “crime” of wanting to nationalize Iranian oil to benefit his country (even Truman had been against this coup). And what was the result? We installed the corrupt Shah, who was eventually overthrown, in 1979, ushering into power the theocracy that still rules there today.
Agree, although they have policy aplenty; but it's all to serve their plutocratic patrons. Government of the people, by the richest, for the richest. It sucks but it's policy; and it threads though everything they do.
Racist right wing religious extremists took over the GOP and the Supreme Court by uniting and reliably voting, running, volunteering Republican. There is a lesson here.
As the former NRA spokesperson says: I don't care if Herschel Walker aborted baby bald eagles. I want the Senate!
All the while by spewing hate for libtards, and “others.” Just what religious nuts like putrid Graham and his ilk preached from pulpits across the land. You are right, they recruited political newbies for every position, from school boards to dog catchers. And the indoctrination continues and the cult balloons.
And the sheep baa, as they promise to phase out Medicare, SS, Medicaid. All the while saying that Dems will do this. The rich have the loudest voice, always, even if by proxy…
“Open, honest, debate on policy,” I’m old, I vaguely remember. BTW, without hardware, things start to become inoperable. Putin found that out…. Maybe MBS should too. But oh, what about our bases? And the beat goes on…
"It is no secret that Saudi leaders cultivated the Trump family, which returned their overtures, and last year, Saudi leader Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman..."
Trump, bin Salman, and Putin. No nation in the world admires any of them, but they surely admire each other.
Kushner is the son-in-law and “Advisor” of the all-time most corrupt American President.
A number of file boxes labeled Top Secret were illegally hidden At Mar Lardo.
Kushner was rejected for Top Secret clearance because of concerns about foreign influence. A trump appointee overruled the rejection and issued Jared his clearance.
Kushner actively defended Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia 2018 killing and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi.
Then the Prince approved Kushner for a two Billion dollar “Loan” from the 600-billion-dollar Saudi “Public Investment Fund’ after the Fund’s management officers denied the loan. The Prince then single-handedly rejected their denial, and issued Kushner the $2,000,000,000.00 loan.
The questionable loan approval by the Prince was his potential payback for Kushner’s actions from frompy’s White House defense of the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia 2018 killing and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi.
Did Jared share any of the Secret Files hidden at Mar Lardo with the Prince as a loan inducement?
Phew!
Something stinks about Jared!
American investigative agencies need to clear the air from those spilt beans, Eh!?
Starting with the fact that Jared's daddy gave Harvard $2 million dollars after Harvard rejected his application because of his poor high school academic performance.
Suddenly: Jared was ACCEPTED. Nice. America at work, doing what it does.
With all due respect, Jeri, calling Jared a mindless robot is so similar to the level of how Trump refered to and made fun of. And still does. Aren’t we better than that?
In the new “The King’s Jester,” On Netflix, Hasan Minhaj skewers both the Saudis and Kushner. Unfortunately, the comedian seems to have experienced some frightening strong-arming from the Saudi government in the past, but that hasn’t stopped him from bringing their despicable control tactics to light, and the one-two punch to Kushner was delightful.
Hmmm...maybe Netflix actually has something other than extreme violence as an evening viewing selection...
Thank you for the delightfulness of witnessing a punching of Kushner metaphorically, almost as satisfying as smashing him in his face with my fist, repeatedly, Eh!?
About that $2 billion “loan” in today’s Steady letter, Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner clarify: “nobody who is actually looking for a return on their investment would invest in Jared. What was that really about?“
Kushner interceded via the orange-turd to prevent American retribution against the Prince's inhuman brutalism of an American citizen. The Prince paid off Kushner so the Prince could avoid the death penalty and Kushner could save his financial ass from problems with real estate loans on non-performing assets. And no one goes to jail....WOW! Eh!?
I can't help myself from thinking about Jared and the $2 billion dollars. And most people I mention this to are unaware and feel it's a conspiracy theory. I just don't believe that he did not have something to do with selling/giving secrets to the Prince.
It is difficult to imagine being wealthily from such a filthy environmentally degrading theft of our beautiful world so we could be enabled to even further destroy our blue planet into the same atmospheric color of horrid orange as the asshole who's son-in-law daily profits from those chauvinistic pigs groveling in their hot as hell desert devoid of all worthwhile life...why would any woman choose existing in that hell-hole!?
Don't forget the new golf venture that the Trump family is supporting through the use of his golf courses and his blatant disregard for Saudi Arabia being involved in 9/11, or finally the $2B that they gave the Kusher family after Trump left office. Absolutely insane the corruption is.
We both smell the stench of the oil/real estate needy greedy's cover-up of the horrendous murder of an American citizen by the Saudi Prince going free by paying off those then in control of the American justice system....AND nobody is in jail for the atrocity!!!!!!
Reading more of the comments shows others see the connections, but Biden will be blamed. Just anticipating the $6 per gallon on November 8 drops to $4 as Republicans take House on November 9. Unless they declare the vote fraudulent.
We have to get away from our needless addiction to foreign oil and oil as a whole. We are seriously compromised by foreign oil, and that contributed to trump and Jared making their own deals with the Saudis, for example. So, trump and Jared turned a blind eye to Prince MBS's killing and dismembering a foreign journalist. Now, Jared received a $2 Billion hedge fund from his friend the prince. I imagine the $2 Billion will work its way from the hedge fund into Jared's personal account. And to think that the people of the U.S. are paying for all of this through oil and gas prices. As Nixon's aide Colson might say, "They've got us by the b---s."
"Let this be our national goal: At the end of this decade, in the year 1980, the United States will not be dependent on any other country for the energy we need to provide our jobs, to heat our homes, and to keep our transportation moving." - Richard Nixon
We have been bullied at home and abroad on account of our dependence on oil. The most historically notorious US monopoly was Standard Oil, which we once broke up, only to snooze while it mostly re-agglomerated. Wars have been fought over trade monopolies, and it's nuts to accept remaining at their mercy.
Nixon wanted more nuclear. I think climate destruction is an even greater risk than nuclear, but there are other ways to go. Nixon advised conservation (still a wise investment). Reagan dissed it. My larger, well insulated home (when I moved and had comparable data) proved significantly cheaper to heat than our smaller house, in a somewhat milder microclimate, that had been built in circa 1920; charming but poorly insulated, and all single-pane glazing. The new one is cooler in the summer too, without AC.
That's just one part of the solution which requires changes and innovation on many fronts. Renewable can be sustainable, fossil fuel cannot. Summers are becoming regularly aberrant and problematic. We fiddle around while the planet burns (there has been smoke in the air here for weeks).
It’s too bad we didn’t listen to Carter instead of making fun of him for his so-called malaise speech. And his solar panels on the WH. Whenever he tried to do anything about climate change & our oil addiction, he was laughed at, w those in his own party laughing the loudest--Ted Kennedy & Tip O’Neil come to mind.
Carter’s problem was that he tread where other politicians, including & especially those within his own party, feared to tread (like attempting to fight the iron triangle of our military industrial complex.) And his single mindedness & lack of DC experience did not serve him well, sadly. Throw in the Iranian hostage crisis, miraculously ended upon Reagan’s election, and Carter’s presidency--w all those good ideas--was doomed.
Biden should call that Seventh Century Camel Fornicator and tell him he has five days to reverse the decision or we cut off his Army, Navy and Air Force from spare parts and replacements. With those damn Saudis for "allies" we don't need any enemies.
Any upward fluctuation in the price of gas will translate into a failure of Biden. Unjust, absolutely. Yet it is a golden egg for the GOP to hold over the Democrats just in time for the midterms.
The GOP have been fairly silent as the price of gas has tumbled over 100 days straight. Rest assured they will squawk about this.
I predict we will be seeing the "I did this" Biden stickers on the gas pumps again in the not to distant future.
Ironic how the friends of Trump seem to rattle their saber at the most distinct time to hurt Democrats.
Gas has gone up 25% in Los Angeles in five days. Last Wednesday I paid $4.99/gal for regular at the "cheap" station. Today it was $5.99 - and it's over $6.50 for regular elsewhere and closing in on $7/gallon for premium. The oil companies claim they have had to reduce production due to "unscheduled maintenance." If you believe that, you probably believe the sun will rise in the west tomorrow.
I found a gas station near me in Central New York that consistently has the best price. Currently $3.59 vs $3.89 most everywhere. We have heard the rumblings of "the price will be going up because the blend of gas changes as it gets colder here". I've heard that song and dance for years. I honestly don't know if that is true or justification to jack up the prices.
Why am I not surprised this happened right before our mid-terms? I was wondering why Putin didn't wait until the Republicans and Trump were back in office or why he didn't invade Ukraine while Trump was still in office. After all, Trump "believed" every word out of Putin's mouth! The Trumplican controlling branch of the Republican Party is often running on an anti war platform, even though no American troops are involved right now.
Of course, Putin timed this so it would have maximum effect on our upcoming election! When are we ever going to learn. Letting tyrants control our domestic supply of anything is crazy. I still remember the Saudi oil embargo of the 1970s. Green Energy can't come soon enough! Thank goodness for the Chips Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. Unfortunately I am afraid they might have come too late.
Some perspective in this report. A hotly debated idea that renewables can replace fossils. Theoretically it is possible. The realization of it in the US, not so clear. When one of two political parties does not give a shit about renewables, sustainability or climate change, it will remain an uphill battle. The only party that can or will lead, if pushed, on this issue is the Democratic Party. I think it deserves mention that a large number of the world’s 60 largest banks increased their involvement with fossil fuels over recent years. Is this not a tale of two views? One, a month to month, quarter to quarter transactional view of life, and another, long range view.
I don't know to what extent renewables per se can solve our energy problem but I think remedial actions can take many forms. If we woke up one morning and all the oil wells were dry, it would be a disaster of course, but I think would see innovation in high gear. In some areas Republicans DO give a shit about renewables and often do their best to hobble them, because their energy industry patrons see it as a threat to rapacious profits. It's weird how so much of the public can be persuaded to defend that. They need to be persuaded otherwise. I think Democrats need to focus on this.
Thank you, HCR, for once again clarifying a complex situation. If only the network and cable news media would follow suit, Americans might learn a few things instead of jumping to conclusions and placing blame where it doesn’t belong. Deep thanks….
Good point, a lot of American's and those in media tend to try to provide simple solutions or reasons to very complex problems. One of my favorite things about the newsletter from HCR is that she always provides nuance and the history of how we got to where we are today.
Saudi (MBS) knew a sucker when they smelled him. As did Vlad. One reason he did not fade away. Now he has all these new rich friends from his time in power. They are all waiting, plotting, and licking their lips…
Not many here are on the side of limiting global warming. Gas needs to be high to discourage its use. And it needs to be high not just because the market is giving the profits to oil producers. But rather we need a large rebated carbon fee. Then you have an incentive to use less gas and not drive a Chevy Suburban when you could be driving a Prius or even better a Chevy Bolt EV.
With a rebated carbon fee, everyone gets "taxed" but they are rebated the average amount. If you are especially efficient, you will make money. If you are average, you will break even. The incentive is to reduce consumption of non-renewables always.
I'm keeping solar in mind, but we don't have much roof area facing south here in Minneapolis. We are signed up for wind power through our utility for just a couple of dollars extra per month, but I don't know how much of that is an accounting gimmick.
Morning, Matt!! I feel that as long as each of us does something, we will be helping stem the fossil fuel tide. I have yet to get an EV, but since retirement five years ago, I hardly ever drive anymore. But I still need to make the change soon.
In my commuting days, I used to see one solitary wind turbine in the distance as I was driving home. I never looked into it for us. I did "flirt" with the idea of geothermal but decided to go with solar. I can't remember why!
It seems to me that there are endless opportunities to "fine tune" productive solutions to a wide array of circumstances, if and when it is a national priority. Decentralizing energy production, even to some extent, would materially strengthen democracy. Making the rich much richer at the expense of the poor accomplishes just the opposite. Historically is always has.
We do have plenty of wind here in western Minnesota, supplying the Minneapolis / St. Paul area.
I think our next step will be installing an air sourced heat pump, while keeping our natural gas furnace for backup when it gets really cold. It might make more sense to spring for a ground sourced heat pump that can handle all temps, but that would definitely cost more $.
Here’s a vote for geothermal. I installed it 10 years ago when I built my house. AC is still higher than heating bill (Virginia) but the system had paid for itself a few years in. Maintenance cost has been $0.
"Not many here are on the side of limiting global warming" - that seems abundantly clear from here - which rather alarms me - as I would have hoped that HCR's followers would be a bit more savvy. Evidently not.
Heather, Re: your power outage....I live in India in a rural community near Mumbai. We have outages all the time. I have learned to live with it. All of us have to transition to “clean energy”. This news of oil prices rising again is so disheartening....
Glad all is safe for you and yours HCR! Really hope the prices don't impact the midterms. We need every shred of help we can get to save our democracy. Thanks HCR, as always.
So we let Republicans (and complicit Democrats) massively deregulate commerce. Yay Freedom. Who benefited from that? Who has suffered? What's in it for us?
This is basically an economic declaration of war. OPEC+ knows their global value is reduced to zero once the transition to a zero-carbon economy is complete. This also presents an incredible opportunity to jumpstart that transition by an appeal to what really Made America Great: a measure of self-sacrifice for the good of the country and other democracies around the world.
This "greatness" was most clearly shown in the WWII economic miracle that transformed the U.S. into a superpower, except that instead of tanks and bombers, it's solar panels and windmills. The existential threat we face is many times greater than WWII, but the benefits are also on a similar scale.
It's time to cut the cord and send these countries back to their agrarian past, unless of course, they want to become a part of that miracle. Conversely, Americans who would sell their country for $3/gallon gas need a hard reality check. This opportunity must become a central part of the political conversation.
“ Conversely, Americans who would sell their country for $3/gallon gas need a hard reality check. This opportunity must become a central part of the political conversation.” YES!
Enacting an excess profits tax on oil companies is long overdue. They're making a killing at everyone's expense.
Not just on oil companies but also on any other corporation reaping enormous windfall profits. The food industry would be another prime target, as would steel. See https://www.theguardian.com/business/2022/apr/27/inflation-corporate-america-increased-prices-profits.
Robert Reich in his Substack newsletter has been advocating for a windfall profits tax as one component of a more sensible way to control inflation than simply raising interest rates. The other components are temporary price controls, higher taxes on the very wealthy, and vigorous anti-trust enforcement. See https://robertreich.substack.com/p/who-will-bear-the-pain among other posts (search on a favorite keyword or phrase to get a list of relevant posts).
Shipping companies! 1000% rise in profits in the last three years - no that’s not a typo. Though they are not based here, that basic 15% minimum corporate tax that was just instituted will help their country of origin at least but let’s lower their profits here since we are the big consumers. More important than ever to help get out the vote and vote blue!
Street presence makes a political statement. Witness the new British prime minister ditched her intention to slash taxes for the Uber rich as a consequence of continuing street protests. Given the depth of corporate entrenchment (Congress, Ukraine War, and Supreme Court) and mass of States curtailing the vote - do you honestly believe just voting is enough to turn this tide around? Might something more active be required?
Well OUR vote does actually matter! We have to beat the R’s to the punch otherwise, Selina, you or I will succumb to their cruelty.
Some decent messaging by Dems would help. I have yet to see a political ad that mentions the likelihood that Republicans will sunset SS, Medicare and Medicaid. Why is that.
Love his take on, well, about everything
Thanks for this; a powerful, clear-cut analysis of the corporatocracy that is poisoning the economy for the 99%.
Thank you for referencing these websites. Very informative and helpful. As usual, the average American takes it on the chin so that the well-heeled can continue to bask in obscene wealth and luxury. Reading Reich's piece, I walk away believing that the Biden Admin should be far more aggressive in taxing corporations.
Thank you for including the link to Reich's substack. He has long been a favorite of mine.
There's also the NOPEC bill in Congress which removes OPEC's protection from prosecution for price collusion. Karine Jen-Pierre mentioned today that Biden is "reassessing" his position on the legislation. That will hurt them bad.
These companies need to be reigned in. And publicly shamed
Shame??? What doth thou speak of?
Gitmo vacations.
They can join Ginni Thomas and her friends on the "barges."
Our neighbor, an ex-banker, said just this week that a lot of the problem with inflation is just price gouging and he also predicted a recession. This is just another way we are in thrall to greedy elites who in many ways run the country.
Robert Reich would agree with your ex-banker neighbor. He (Reich) argues, with supporting data, that the current inflation is not driven by higher wages, i.e., increased demand, but rather by higher profits. Drawn as curves, the two forces can be seen to diverge significantly. Another way of phrasing "profit-price inflation" would be "price gouging." Not so polite maybe, but hey, if the shoe fits...
Reich lays it out here: https://robertreich.substack.com/p/the-truth-im-telling-congress-today#details
Not to digress too badly here, but using only monetary policy (i.e., manipulating interest rates to control inflation) is rather like having a hammer as your only tool and coming to see every problem as a nail. While the Fed has its role, it's also a convenient way for Congress to evade its responsibility to pass legislation to deal with economic problems such as excess corporate pricing power and price gouging. The Fed can do only so much; Congress has to grow a pair and step up to the other needed measures (windfall profits tax, price controls, anti-trust legislation, higher tax on the very wealthy). Bernie Sanders and a few others in Congress get it, but I'm not counting on Congress to get its collective head out of its you-know-what anytime soon and actually deal with the problem meaningfully.
❤️
The thing is during every recession the rich get richer.... It sucks. But the effect of price gouging and keeping supply low is definitely having an effect on inflation. I wish that more people weren't blind to it.
That recession will be a result of the Fed continuing to raise interest rates-that appears to be all they do these days. Robert Reich has remarked on this and is against it.
I have read Reich and I am sure they are going to raise it again. We live in a country where a low unemployment rate causes the stock market to fall.
Reined in.
Thanks for spelling correction!!
Like we didn’t know what you meant?!!
Lotsa hurricanes around...
NOPEC will be largely performative unless the major oil companies are also included which I haven't yet heard is happening.
👍🏼
I agree Arthur. We should have taxed gas directly at a high rate for ages. Oil prices SHOULD be fantastically high.
Are we not trying to come up with ways to move to sustainable energy sources? To do that don't we need to begin the process of raising prices on oil to begin to push people in that direction before the worlds oil reserves are just gone?
Independent of the election, which, I am sure the Saudi's are trying to influence, don't we all need to recognize that oil is not forever? The way humans are structured today, if we pump the final drop of oil from the earth (and at some point we will) there will be calamity and mass die off (of humans).
We MUST begin the process of reducing oil consumption worldwide and ESPECIALLY in America which has a small population but uses 40% of the world's oil.
Me? I think that it is long, long, long past time to tax the heck out of oil making it a prize commodity instead of a cheap one.
Also, if Americans blame Biden for higher oil prices they are just stupid. Which, honestly, since so many of them drive ridiculously large vehicles we might form that hypothesis anyway.
So, maybe the Saudi's are giving us all a push we need to wake up and realize, oil is going to be gone, and, in the not too distant future.
Long ago we should have done what Europe has done and made gas expensive to force people to drive small cars and begin to move to more sustainable energy sources.
I wholeheartedly agree Mike. And, most Americans don’t realize how much the federal government subsidizes the oil companies. We pay for it with our taxes and the oil companies get huge tax write offs, cheap leases, and the ability to price gouge and run up some of the largest profits of any companies in the country. All while paying next to nothing in taxes! It’s insane!
Exactly Dianna! We give oil companies essentially FREE leases on government land.
When was the last time you had access to make money on land you got for free from the Federal Government?
The Bundys tried.
Perfect example. They personify what's wrong with the country.
Indeed, been pissed about those arrogant arses for decades
It’s the Repub way, we have seen how trying to change it has rattled the cages of our Trojan Horses (Manchin for one)
You haven’t said it for a long time, Mike. On so many levels, the problem with America is Americans. (I’d take it a step beyond, and quote Pogo: “We have met the enemy and he is us.”)
Ally, I received some good feedback that using that sentence was not appropriate for this forum. It was pretty scathing feedback, but, as a long time member of the research world, I am fairly used to both providing and receiving scathing feedback, so, no big deal.
However, after some thought, I agreed that bucketing all Americans into the dumb bucket, just because MOST Americans are dumb, is not appropriate.
:-)
After all, Dr. Richardson is an American, and, I bet she is a passionate American even though she knows our ugly history.
She is not dumb, by any measure.
I would counter this with we are not talking dumb as the only problem. There are others: being wasteful, unwilling to make changes in our lives that would help the common good, unable to look past a soundbite/TV personality for information and other behaviors that are not in the National/public best interests.
I have never viewed the Pogo quote as saying people are dumb. I see it as many not looking closely at themselves as contributing to a problem and continuing to make poor decisions. We have quite a few people in our neighborhood who try to be as obnoxious and loud as possible with their vehicles and motorcycles. I view them as obnoxious. We have quite a spat going on at the end of the street where one person is running an eye sore business out of her house and is thoroughly loathed by everyone at that end. But she is suing the people across the street for "not being good neighbors". She also posted on NextDoor this week and stirred up a hornet's nest of nastiness directed at them. We have too many people who want to do what they want to do regardless of others and that is selfishness, not stupidity.
Very little consideration or concern for others is being taught at home…it’s leading to a totally classless, selfish and uncaring world. Seems to be getting worse by the year.
"Selfishness, not stupidity..."
But Michele, it's both!
There is definitely a need for kindness.
the appropriate label may be "entitled" or spoiled
Ally, yes, defining "dumb" is a good approach before assigning the word.
So, let us accept your definition and henceforth, simply use dumb knowing the definition!
Selfish? Self-centered? Self-important?
Not meaningfully self-confident nor self-sufficient.
Heart.
The morons who complained were the ones who felt the pain from the arrow striking home. The more scathing, the more you were on target. Fuck'm.
My fav quote
Thanks Jerry. But, I stopped using that phrase, as catchy as it is. Some folks took offense, and, I decided I am not here to offend people but to learn and contribute thoughts rather than inflammation.
Good morning, Mike.
Some, methinks, are overly sensitive, perhaps? We have genuine trolls here and you are most assuredly not one of them! Those people seek only to inflame. I have read discussions/debates you have been part of and when a counterpoint is made that enlightens you, you acknowledge that point.
Exactamundo. There is nothing faster than stupid.
We don't need to pass a tax bill; we can simply stop the $20 billion in fossil fuel subsidies.
https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/fossil-fuel-subsidies-by-country
bingo Jeff!
Ooooh!
Yes, indeed! Remove all subsidies from these multinational behemoths. Then tax the crap out of them, sending the money directly to a new smarter, safer electric grid - under government supervision - that can carry the juice from renewable sources to the point of use.
We are focused on EVs but we are not focused on how we will charge them. The IRA does begin to address this, but our grid is in pathetic shape. It is vulnerable and incapable of accommodating the conveyance of electricity from the Earth friendly sources of production we tout.
Is that "social engineering" or "socialism"? I don't give a shit what we call it. It is just common sense - if we think we have a future on this planet.
When we are driving here in Salem, OR, we are often passed on city streets by huge trucks or souped up roaring cars. We drive a Prius Prime, so we can leave them in the dust if we want without burning a single bit of gas....we are now getting over 900 mpg as we have haven't been out of town for quite some time. Our solar panels provide the electricity for the car and we have had two months with 0 electricity bill. Yes, this will change somewhat in the winter time, but not too much.
I’m impressed. Keep up the good work.
whitehouse.gov/cleanenergy. Get your bargain rebates on solar panels, electric cars, heat pumps! Step right up! And you can thank the democrats for the Inflation Reduction Act with your vote.
And PLASTICS, which use the dirtiest of fracked oil to continue to pump out their polluting product, and are destroying not only underserved, poor communities where their products are made but our entire ecosystem. And not just plastics: petroleum products are found in so much of what we purchase as consumers.
Yes! But we have fallen for our “exceptional” propaganda. Look at FL. Could have been prevented. Private joke since ‘16: When will Rubio’s state be under water so he has nowhere to be from? Dark humor, but having watched the gallop of climate change up close from 2002, and knowing the history of James Hansen before Congress in 1988, perhaps I can be forgiven.
Long ago we should also built better public transportation. It is delightful to visit countries where other options are better than your private automobile, especially your gas guzzler. In Denmark electric vehicle charging stations outnumber gas stations. Bicycles are everywhere.
We had trains! The Pennsylvania Railroad of the 19th century was a model for the world. We had trains until after WWII! The small towns of the Midwest were connected by trains. Amtrak still uses some of the trackage between Charlottesville, VA and Chicago. I have seen the old maps!
Bordeaux, Lyon, and Munich are the systems I remember best in Europe. All rebuilt after WWII, of course.
Bicycles: where there is decent medical care for all, every body can stay fit walking and riding bicycles. I have seen that in small French towns.
Large ones too.
These U.S. folks don't have any idea how much the U.K. pays for gas. Currently it's $7.067/gallon.
This morning I read an LTE that discussed how the cost of renewable energy has dropped over the past 30 years. Here's an excerpt from the LTE: "When it comes to inflation and utility bills, Sununu (NH Gov.)says Democrats are at fault (they aren’t). In comparing New Hampshire to neighboring states, it becomes clear that Sununu is responsible for N.H. being at the mercy of fossil fuels. During his three terms as governor, Sununu has protected the oil and gas industry to the detriment of the environment and the economy. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative was intended to promote energy efficiency, but under Sununu, RGGI funds were diverted to consumer rebates averaging $7.50 per household. Net metering is a way to reduce municipal energy costs, but over the objection of mayors of 12 of our 13 cities, Sununu vetoed Democrat-sponsored bills that would implement it.
NHSaves, a program to cut energy costs, would be funded by a System Benefits Charge of $2.26 per month per household, but the Sununu-appointed Public Utility Commission (consisting of a climate change denier and others with no background in energy), has blocked it.
Sununu’s PUC also slow-walked Community Power Aggregation rules that would let towns negotiate with energy suppliers.Solar power is now the cheapest source of electricity, its cost dropping over 90% in three decades, but Sununu has opposed it, as well as wind farms in the Gulf of Maine. Meanwhile, Maine is buying renewable energy costing a tenth of fossil fuel-generated energy costs.
Under Sununu, our N.H. target to buy electricity from clean sources over the next decade (25%) is a third that of Maine and Vermont (75-80%).
In 2019-2020 Sununu, who has received huge contributions from utility companies, vetoed more than 60 Democrat-sponsored bills, many of them designed to cut energy costs. And he bragged about it.
Now, without alternatives, fossil energy rates are increasing and Sununu pretends he’s a hero for handing out $60 million of state funds to help consumers – using tax dollars to win votes while maximizing profits for the oil and gas industry." (BTB, we're trying to vote Sununu out.)
This is the usual R game plan.
good luck with your campaign!
All three Sununus have a dark and evil past. Here is his Dad's (from wiki)
Legacy:
In his report Losing Earth: The Decade We Almost Stopped Climate Change, Nathaniel Rich wrote that in November 1989 Sununu prevented the signing of a 67-nation commitment to freeze carbon dioxide emissions, with a reduction of 20 percent by 2005, and singled him out as a force starting coordinated efforts to bewilder the public on the topic of global warming and changing it from an urgent, nonpartisan and unimpeachable issue to a political issue, and an increasingly intractable one.
Grrr! Not surprised though-he was a Reganite if I remember correctly. His son is no better- he conveniently decided that his family ski area should qualify as an economic opportunity zone.
Geo H W's chief of staff. May the dynasty end now.
yes so obvious and true
Traitors putting massive greed ahead of country and future
They must despise their children and grandchildren
Ostriches all, but they will have compounds in New Zealand, while we gurgle, gurgle…
Yes, greed! And their own grandchildren aren’t likely to suffer as much as the grandchildren of low income and often undereducated followers of despots and liars. Like TFG and his handlers. Without regulations we’re sunk.
They think their wealth will save them. We are getting at the point where money is not going to make much difference. I have an ex-h.s. classmate who lives in Naples, for example, which I understand is quite the rich town and I saw the vids of the flooding there. She, while intelligent, is a true believer and I had to cut emails because I couldn't get her past politics and all caps.
Agreed. However, filing a full-on class action lawsuit against oil companies for their knowing atrocities against the earth for the last 50 years, seems like the ultimate play. Let’s do it, and make it along the lines of the class action suit against tobacco, wherein the people hurt the most by the carbon-evoked snd accelerated climate change are recipients of the settlements. The children and their families who have lived and died with asthma due to the environmental racism of positioning refineries by the poorest neighborhoods, the CA Paradise Valley folks, the people who’ve experienced the acceleration of carbon-fueled climate change in the form of Katrina, Florence, Fiona, and on and on including the catastrophic tornadoes, floods, droughts, heat waves, fires, fires, fires, and more that have fouled air, water, lungs, lives. A class-action suit against these monsters who are profiting off of war and have lied for 50 years about the impact of climate change is a way to stop them, force change, educate the public with the information brought forth in the trial, create the beginnings of equity (think of Exxon and other CEOs making in a day what some make in a lifetime!) and give HOPE to generations dying of despairicides due to a sense of hopelessness, haplessness, helplessness against this demon greed in our capitalist system that is killing is all (think foods meant to make us hungrier, drugs with deadly side effects, systemic racism, poverty, placism [when people are STUCK living with poisons, as in Jackson, MS and Flint, MI, because they don’t have funds to move or new places to go] vs. clean food, healing circles, family and neighborhood support systems, community gardens, more.)
When Ronald Reagan won in 1980 and started his reign by ripping Jimmy Carter’s solar panels off the White House I wept. It was the end of a brilliant push away from fossil fuels and modeling how well alternative powers sources could work. Gearing up a class action suit to take on big oil won’t give us a re-do going back 42 years, but it sure could help. Greenpeace or some members of congress could file the suit.
Ready?
There are class-action lawsuits in action all over the country, brought by, and on behalf of, the children whose future is being destroyed:
https://www.ourchildrenstrust.org/
They have not been making good progress, but the first is now scheduled to take place in Helena, MT from June 12-23, 2023!
It’s hard to define windfall profits. Better to raise the maximum corporate tax rate, require companies to pay tax on all income earned here (wherever the corporation is organized), and institute a much more aggressive antitrust policy.
An alternative would be eliminating the subsidies and tax breaks the oil companies get and, more generally, eliminating the tax deduction for interest on business loans.
The rich get richer at the expense of the country.
How's about single-payer gas insurance?
Ha!
Wait a minute. Perhaps you can help me with this. I too, would like to slam the "companies" raking in the record profits. Don't these companies have stock holders or aren't there mutual fund investors who benefit financially from these profits? And, aren't some of these "investors", "some"...fortunate enough to be able to make little progress toward having a little income in addition to social security before kicking the bucket? Well? Now, if you are saying the "companies" are sucking on offshore tax or investment loopholes (...?) and taking advantage of an un-even playing field.., hohoho... then, to me, therein exists the problem. And, not the ability to make great profits legally. And, I do not consider corporations to be 'a citizen'.
Yes, in publicly-owned corporations the profits, or most of them (the part that doesn't go to obscene executive compensation) are distributed to shareholders. And yes, theoretically, the shareholders thereby benefit by having more money in their pockets. And yes again, about 58% of people own stock (from https://news.gallup.com/poll/266807/percentage-americans-owns-stock.aspx).
But even as we remember that "trickle-down economics" is a thoroughly rebutted, debunked, and laughable lie perpetrated by Arthur Laffer and the Reagan administration, a zombie kept alive by subsequent Republican administrations in order to continue funneling wealth upward, consider these factoids (from https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/18/the-wealthiest-10percent-of-americans-own-a-record-89percent-of-all-us-stocks.html):
- The wealthiest 10% of American households now own 89% of all U.S. stocks, a record high that highlights the stock market’s role in increasing wealth inequality.
- The top 1% gained over $6.5 trillion in corporate equities and mutual fund wealth during the pandemic, according to the latest data from the Federal Reserve.
- The bottom 90% of Americans held about 11% of stocks, and added $1.2 trillion in wealth during the Covid-19 pandemic.
So while what you say isn't incorrect, it doesn't capture the problem. The profits generated by higher prices are going disproportionately to the already-rich, by a ratio of more than 5.4:1.
In other words, that Everyman can buy shares of some company and receive dividends doesn't in any way imply equitable or meaningful distribution of wealth throughout the economy.
It...."IT" will never be a level playing field. However, recognizing the tilt being inflicted upon 95% of Americans since the 20's, so patently made visible thx to technology, IT simply cannot be sustained. And, try as they wish, the "R" party, led by Red necks//Religiots, and Reprobates.., they will not endure. "They" are built to fail. Yeah.. hohoho.., feel free, quote me on all this :)) TheMadRussian12A.
You are failing to make the distinction between the corporation and its shareholders. The record profits that these oil companies are pulling in do not belong to the shareholders; not in any legal sense, and not in any practical or equitable sense. These profits are no more the shareholders' property than a citizen of the United States 'owns' any fractional part of the United States Treasury, or that of any of the constituent States. Shareholder value is recognized only to the extent that (a) share ownership entitles the holder to such dividends as the Corporation Board of Directors authorizes to be paid on a pro rata basis; and (b) the cash value of the share when realized through sale or exchange of that share whether through sale, barter, or exchange for new shares of some different value, such as when their stock splits, or stock redemptions, and so on and so forth. As we have seen time and again over the past several decades, the way a corporation puffs up investor value has been through the mechanism of buying back common shares in the company, thereby profiting existing shareholders, either when they sell their shares back to the company for premium over what they paid for the stock, or by exploiting the artificial scarcity caused by the Corporation's buyback program. Large corporations act largely independently of the interests of their shareholders; and individual shareholders' interests in the company are too often minuscule to make a difference in matters of corporate governance. If a corporation's repurchase shares are not officially retired, it is conceivable that management can vote those repurchase shares to serve its own particular interests, which may turn out to be quite different from the interests of the public shareholders. The less public regulation we have, the more we can expect to see abusive management practices that disadvantage individual shareholders for the favored few insiders within the corporation, who get to act as if they were owners, even though they are not. What counts is control over how corporate assets are managed and allocated, rather than who owns them.
Thanks Arthur for your encompassing response. So, according to what you have delivered here, the "playing field" is not level. Well..! Just as I suspected, therein exists the problem. All "their" crony's and crony-ites have worked hard to arrange "the system" to achieve their goals.., one after the other. Were one to offer that "their" success in doing so could in any way be due to the kindness and trust of hard working Americans would be one helluva a stretch. More obviously, "their" success was due to public ignorance, fully cultivated by a diet rich in manure. And that, my friend, is why I, a mere mortal, must search for answers so late in my life. My only saving grace? Aha.., being a fan of Samuel Longhorn Clements, who implored upon us our duty to "stir the pot" lest the scum rise to the top. Whew! I'm afraid "The Scum" has indeed ARISEN. Thanks again for your help Arthur. Sincerely.
Glad we agree. My area of legal expertise was never in the stratospheric reaches of corporate law practice. What we've created is a legal monster that has all but swallowed us up.
Key word: 'killing' ....
Have we quit Big Oil subsidies?
If not, this should be a lead in sentence, "While subsidies, from your and my tax dollars, to big oil continue..." Hohoho... I'm sure someone here will dig up that answer. Either way, if it equates to keeping these 'apparent gluttons' in business while we transition to other forms of energy, I'll continue to deal with it.
“The decision of OPEC+ to cut production is not simply about prices. It is about the ongoing struggle over democracy playing out in Ukraine, as the Ukrainians fight off the Russian invaders.”
RasPutin has got to go!!!
Putin's presence or absence has no significant impact on America's current challenges.
Whoever happens to be the current Stalin like figure in Russia will not reduce or eliminate the right wing threat moving forward in America.
But Vlad allies with our evil to an extent that I don’t recall before. From even before Helsinki…
Jeri,
Vlad looks like a choir boy compared to Stalin. No joke.
Sorry. Putin is KGB/Stasi. That’s Stalin’s grandson. Cruelty is part of training.
Sorry, Mike. But it’s Putin’s mouth to Trump’s ear that we have to think about. I wonder if it’s Putin who told Trump both what to take with him and how to disguise them.
maybe - maybe not. if he goes... who do we think will step in?? probably not someone we're gonna like. Putin's big 7-0 birthday is tomorrow (10/7) ... not sure how that bodes for anyone, including him.
Suz, you’ll have to pardon me but I don’t give a shit about Putin’s birthday. I do care about the atrocities that he has committed and is continuing to do. He has one finger on the button that could obliterate the human race and the other is in his ear so that he doesn’t hear his generals talking sense into him. He’s insane and should be taken out with whatever force possible. Navalny should be freed and take over Russia.
Yes please! You have plenty of support in your wishing Putin gone, and a popular leader like Navalny replace him. Wasn't one of the things Navalny based his protests on was corruption of Putin and the Russian Oligarchy? I suppose it would be to much to ask of a country with a history like Russia, to pick and elevate a good leader. As a country, they have almost never chosen wisely. It almost always is the meanest dirtiest mad dog who comes out on top!
Whether it's Ivan the Terrible, Peter I, Catherine II, Stalin or Putin, "chosen" is the wrong word.
Now there are immensely powerful forces at work in the world and, crucially, in the United States set on turning country -- and planet -- into places where choice is unknown, because stolen and stashed away by a bunch of self-appointed oligarchs.
Snyder has written well about this.
Now we're coming to the crunch.
Expect a very hard ride over the coming three years. And so work that the pains we shall face end in a new birth!
Work to elect Democrats to every office.
GOTV 2022
Crucial, Lin.
But only a beginning.
There must be more citizen participation if the new sapling democracy, scion of the old tree, is to survive and flourish.
More reaching up and reaching down, more meeting and more sharing, in the American family.
I do, with my measly retirement “largesse”.
Iin! Good to see you back in this forum! I had been wondering about you, since the last time I saw one of your postings, you were bring harassed by Leonard Leo’s “law enforcement” cronies. Hope you are well!
Yes Peter. I am fully aware of this. I agree chosen is a bad verb choice with regards to much of anything regards to people ruling in Russia. Eisenhower warned us about letting lose the power and money of the military industrial complex in this country. Then Reagan did it. Once the business sector of the US got the bit in it's cheeks, they have been tearing down first the societal safety net. Now that and workers rights,
safety, and recompense have also been compromised, they are close to taking away our political and personal rights and freedoms to make us basically slaves to their greedy grab of all Earth's Resources including human.
I, like others in these posts give every cent I have plus anything I can borrow to Democratic Candidates! Go Blue! Whoops, that should be Vote Blue! I accidentally got my cheers mixed up, because I am also a Michigan Wolverine Fan.
AGREE!! Except Go Green!!! Michigan State class of '74! Later taught for that wolverine school though, and 2 of my kids graduated from U of M. We are blessed in Michigan!
Yes, thank you Peter.
a Seldon Crisis
That is perhaps an apt metaphor, in that free choice ultimately boils down to a single choice (and currently the wrong one seems dominant, leading away from truth).
Apart from that, I find Asimov's cosmology, with its materialism and its imperial delusions, telling but troubling. Rather like the Raelian cult... And Musk...
Russia isn’t hiding behind a flag. We know its history and that it’s not a democracy. And with Putin at the top, the people aren’t picking their leader. Elections are a sham. And then there is our country, a democracy that is in danger of losing its way, a two party system with one party embracing lies and following TFG, a wannabe king. Our elections and our courts are endangered. Robert Reich in a recent “Coffee Klatch” asks, “Does Trump want to be the next messiah?” https://robertreich.substack.com/p/does-trump-want-to-be-the-next-messiah?r=ele1&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&utm_source=direct
Our Votes must count.
"The next Messiah"?
A raving madman. A psychopath. A caricatural Beast surrounded by lesser fiends -- some potentially greater.
So dangerous, the world cannot be safe for as long as he remains free. The same goes for his acolytes.
They must be removed from society, hermetically sealed off from communication.
Navalny, while far more of a democrat, is still a Russian nationalist. No need to start passing out haloes.
This is no time for mean, carping comments on a man who is being slowly tortured to death for defending truth and freedom. And still defiant, still answering back...
The flirtation with nationalists took place long ago. It was a tactical error, but not a foolish one, at a time when Navalny and others were seeking a practical foothold from which to oppose Putin's all-powerful gangsters' regime.
An error long since surmounted.
If you can think of any political leader now living who shows comparable qualities, I am all ears.
And let us never confuse nationalism with true love of country. Least of all at a time when the only place for an upright citizen in a corrupt empire is in prison. Or in an unmarked grave.
Unless we too stand up and resist the encroaching forces of tyranny, we too may soon find ourselves having to live in such a land.
He's VASTLY preferable to Putin but it's important to be realistic.
Many have tried, we can’t even hold our own against our own internal forces of evil.
The snag is, that Russia, culturally, has always been a suppressed culture (except for the aristocrats). They have never experienced what we hold to be democracy (and yes,
ours is quite tainted). There are plenty, I gather, who would like to take Putin's position - who'd be far worse - think Kadarov. Navalny wouldn't stand a chance.
The other evil twin with his brother the Turd of Maralardo
Well... I'm concerned that not only has he backed himself into a corner... now he's feeling that he's becoming more and more irrelevant.. and OLD (especially for a Russian man!!)
So that... to me... makes him even more dangerous and the world situation more precarious. I can well imagine him choosing his big 7-0 to launch a nuclear attack... or worse... THAT's why i mention his birthday. I've been watching the calendar since the invasion, knowing that this big birthday for him... happens soon. And now, it's tomorrow. Hoping he doesn't choose to do anything even more insane.. however it certainly wouldn't surprise me. That's all.
I am 71. I don’t consider myself old. I consider myself and others in my age group to be active and rather savvy. Putin is insane and a dicktator which aligns with Trump’s base of Nazis.
this isn't about how we see ourselves. we're not this crazy, Russian macho man who's mostly isolated himself, looking and feeling weak with such a fragile ego... and is now bringing his 'tactical' nukes by train, across Russia... supposedly to the battlefield... for what???? we don't need nuclear war...!!!
Putin and MBS blood brothers, for real. Who has killed the most???
Jeri,
I hate to write this, but, it could be US. If we add up Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq civilian dead?
I hate to know who "has killed the most".
Because, maybe it is you and me. And, maybe we are so blind to it we can barely, or even completely, not see it.
So true, I remember W/Dickie and VietNam atrocities before that. All in our name.
The genocide of indigenous people, Japanese internment and ongoing attacks on African Americans...
Yes. But it’s Republican presidents who started these wars. Particularly two oil men Bushes. Has anyone out there a copy of the Le Monde week-end magazine section on the Bush family (2018?)?
Very true.
Trump/Putin has to go! Quickly. And we need to watch Jared.
Nice name. I like it.
It seems clear to me that some of these energy conflicts are just forcing us to cut ties with the devils we have been making deals with. I know we have been supporting Saudi Arabia militarily for their war in Yemen, which is horrendous, as seems to be most of what I hear about their leadership, and that goes for Russia too. https://www.gao.gov/products/gao-22-105988
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/07/us/politics/biden-aid-yemen-saudi-arabia.html
There should be no more bases, military personnel, US weapons sold or military advice to the Saudis, or aid or anything. Also, no technology from the USA. Sanction them too. That is what should happen. Let OPEC countries drink their oil as far as I am concerned. Europe is going to have to figure out their own situation, but the USA should not help OPEC since Russia is benefitting and Saudi Arabia is an unreliable ally. Europe can try to get LNG from Australia, Qatar and USA who are the 3 largest distributors of LNG. https://www.statista.com/statistics/274528/major-exporting-countries-of-lng/
Qatar and Indonesia used to be a member of OPEC. There are other countries who have LNG that are not members of OPEC. No military help for any OPEC country, or technology support. At this point we need to withhold our "friendship" from countries that have been fence sitting or siding with Russia in things of great importance.
Here in the USA we are going to have to tighten our belts. My daughter informed me that she cannot study if she gets cold. It is not really cold yet, but I have told her that she is going to have to change her mindset and relish warm clothing in the home. Or else, she can stay late at school and do her work. These are the struggles that we all have to face as we adjust to a change in lifestyle. I think Americans need to stop being angry at Joe Biden and start looking at what we can do to lessen our dependence on energy. He did not create the problems, he has inherited them. Trump cannot solve the problems not in the short term or in the long run. The planet is frying and along with that comes hurricanes wiping out communities, wildfires wiping out communities, floods wiping out communities, drought wiping out crops, and communities. Our biggest problem might seem to be the cost of fuel, but the carbon fueled energy is making our planet to hot for our species and others to live. How can we live less energy filled lives? We have the most energy intensive lives on the planet and our culture is the most reluctant to change behaviors to accommodate changing realities, or awarenesses. Navigating that is hard. OPEC is doing us a favor if it gets us to cut back and do less. All of these events have to be looked at as opportunities to make changes. I use my revulsion towards Putin and the Saudi leadership to keep me going as I do the difficult things we need to, to get off of fossil fuels, something we are working towards in our home and other areas of our lives.
Bravo, Linda! Love this "lemonade" post you made!
P.S. Tell your daughter I wear a down jacket indoors to take the chill off. Amazingly, it "adjusts" to the colder weather when I go outside.
Damn, you are asking us to, OMG, sacrifice for the future. Republicans will snort and promise comfort with a price (expertly hidden).
I agree! Look how well it has worked out for people in Florida where lovely Republicans like Rick Scott the developer became governor to make sure there would be no restrictions on developers making a buck by building homes in hurricane alleys and on wetlands that acted as buffers against storm flooding. They sold a lot of people comfort which they had until they didn't. The amount of discomfort that they are all experiencing now could have been avoided if someone had regulated things, but that is the beauty of Florida their current governor likes to bragg, no regulations.
But this seems to all pass people by - (unless Ian hit them - and even then, it's "I want to get back to the place I was before" ) - we are far too damn comfortable.
Excellent Linda. I keep my tiny house that I rent around 60 degrees. Now that it's getting cold, visitors complain. I am acclimated to my way of living and urge others to be aware of these things too. It seems they are all spoiled and not willing to wear layers in order to be more comfortable. I know it's a small thing I do but when I visit them and have to wear sleeveless in the winter in order to be comfortable in their homes, I think it's ridiculous. I am proof that it can be done.
I would like to add; that the reverse is true when it comes to air-conditioning. Some citizens homes, as well as most businesses, are so cold in the warm months that I must wear layers to be comfortable when visiting.
Most citizens want what they want without understanding the consequences. So onward we go in trying to educate.
Yes Karen, I agree. When I do go into my office during the hotter months, my fingers get numb from the cold and I'm constantly trying to warm my nose up. It's a struggle.
I agree too. I remember going to the University of Illinois at Chicago Campus to drop off some papers for a student in the summer and the door to the building was open to let in warm air in. All of the secretaries had down jackets on and heaters by their feet. It was frigid inside. This contributes to wasted money coming out of tuition which I will not be paying because I don't support this degree of inefficiency. The building was designed with windows that don't open. This is why my husband does not work in his new office either on a different campus. It is also designed to be climate controlled but with windows that don't open. This is a situation all over. I understand that these new HEPA air filters are unbalanced by an open window, but to not have the option is both a fire hazard and traps everyone inside with environmental pollutants even if they say the air filter cleans it. They have to be changed regularly for this system to work. The heavy cologne of my colleagues tells me they are not. We need to either use buildings 24-7 or shut everything down when they are not in use. In the summer, when it reaches the high humidity that it does here overnight, we turn our air conditioning on to 80 degrees. We don't use air conditioning when the temperature is less than 90.
Bravo for your instructions to your daughter! It’s in the tradition of LBJ (turning off lights as he left rooms in the White House) and Jimmy Carter (wearing sweaters in the White House). And who took solar panels off the roof of the White House? Ronald Reagan, of course.
Of course Reagan did this. He wanted to have others solve the problems in the future. Carter of course outlived him and kept true to his values to the end. I grew up turning off lights, and I know that these are continual conversations that will not find acceptance with my daughter, who is at the age to rebel, 17, but she also respects me, so she hears what I am saying and I am sure it will shape her behavior when she is on her own. She just has to find her own way to these ideas. They have to be hers. She just went thrift shopping yesterday for sweaters and jackets that she finds attractive to wear. She is fussy about her clothing, so very slender so it is hard to find things that fit. She has learned to tailor them herself to some extent. I have told her that she needs to take a class to learn this better. We have been talking about sustainable clothing too, and that buying at thrift stores is still buying, but when she goes, she takes clothing to donate. The stores she goes to gives credits for this. There is a cycle. She has gotten good a this. She has also said she will wear looser sweaters in the winter, something I thought she would never do, which means she can wear old things of ours. This is a big compromise because she used to not want to wear thrift clothing. This is her hearing me say that she is too focused on clothing, and trying to accommodate my wishes by going for used clothing and recycling.
We turn off lights, and do not run dishwasher or washing machine when it rains to avoid flooding our sewers. We also do not run them at peak times during heavy usage periods. We try to be aware and schedule around peak usage. Still, we are not always true to this. We compost communally with our neighbors, and the compost goes to local farms, since we cannot use it all.
However, I realize we are far, far from living the life described in this NYT article about Uruguay. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/05/magazine/uruguay-renewable-energy.html Even though they discuss some problems with implementation at the end, we have these problems too, for many people in this country and yet are we trying to adapt to the rhythms of new technologies? It is food for thought.
I remember when I first learned about Reagan removing the solar panels off the White House. I couldn't believe the gall. Now I understand it much better. He was responsible for so many terrible things in our country.
Rupert Murdoch for one
Linda, the boarding school I went to used to keep the temperature down to keep us awake to do homework in the evening.
The US has permanent military bases in Saudi Arabia, in part to prop up the Saudi royal family which otherwise doesn’t have a leg to stand on. The US is the main supplier of hardware to the Saudi military. All this ostensibly to keep the oil flowing. Do the Saudi royals really think they’re better off throwing their lot in with Putin and maneuvering to hand control of the US Congress back to Republicans and put TFG back in the White House?
The GOP is silently cheering all this. Their only hope in November is rising prices at the pump. They know they will never prevail with open, honest debate on policy; they have no policy.
The November mid-term elections are a choice between honest and dishonest government.
BTW, I paid $2.99/gal for 87 octane yesterday here in liberal, Democratic Connecticut.
Ralph,
"Their (Republicans) only hope in November is rising prices at the pump."
IF the only way Democrats can win in November is super cheap gas?? Then, America has WAY bigger and more numerous problems than high gas prices.
Because, Joe Biden and the Democrats have about as much influence over oil prices as the squirrel in my backyard.
If Americans are truly so dumb they think Joe Biden suddenly raised gas prices? Well, we get what we deserve if we elect a bunch of nutty Republicans to "represent" themselves and their donors.
Joe Biden is THE best President we have had since Jimmy Carter, a highly effective President who was also disrespected by Americans.
We deserve what we get if we do NOT re-elect the best President we have had in 40 years.
Joe Biden (and by extension the party that passed such effective legislation over the last 2 years).
Mike, I agree with everything you say, and I wish every voter in America did as well, but many do not.
Historical anecdote that may or may not be true but it illustrates my point:
After Democratic presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson gave one of his usual stirring, knowledgeable campaign speeches, an admirer gushed, "Mr. Stevenson, that was a magnificent speech. Every thinking person in America will be voting for you!"
"That's not enough," replied Stevenson. "I need a majority."
Stevenson lost to Republican and war hero Dwight Eisenhower, who would be appalled at what his party has turned into today.
Ralph,
I encourage you to disagree with at least some of what I say just to start a good conversation!!!
The historical account you provide is fascinating and, perhaps, an illustration of what Thomas Jefferson spent his later life worrying about: Education in America.
It is, in fact, difficult for many Americans to become educated for a variety of reasons.
The curriculum is confusing, no longer drumming math and reading into our heads by third grade.
In high school, Americans are all pushing their kids to be Soccer stars or Baseball Stars of Football stars and those activities suck way good reading and education time.
I don't know if there is a solution, but, back when the choice was Adlai Stevenson or Eisenhower, well, honestly, those were two GOOD choices .......
when that happens, nothing to sweat.
But, we no longer have TWO good choices. We only have ONE, and who knows how long that will last.
👏👏 I wholeheartedly agree.
Ralph, you have activated a long buried memory from elementary school. One morning before the Stevenson-Eisenhower election, a classmate told me that Stevenson stepped on a dog’s tail, the dog barked “Ike, Ike” and Stevenson shot the dog. I was furious. As president, Eisenhower did nothing about the KKK and hangings of Black people in the South but he added “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance. We started the school day with a prayer, the pledge and a patriotic song in public school. I do not want to see those days return. Many maganuts have the mind of an 8 year old. The third of Americans who don’t vote need to come out and vote BLUE.
Gigi,
You definitely caught me in my ignorance about Eisenhower and his blindness toward the violence in the South. Also, I was not aware about the "under God".
And, yes, I said the pledge of Allegiance every morning in my rural ET school.
A very smart man (former Republican) recently told me that we should be pledging allegiance to the Constitution, not the flag. Makes sense!
And re good ole Ike (& his buddy Churchill): let’s not forget that his CIA was responsible for the assassination of Iran’s only truly democratically elected PM, Mohammed Mosaddegh, for the “crime” of wanting to nationalize Iranian oil to benefit his country (even Truman had been against this coup). And what was the result? We installed the corrupt Shah, who was eventually overthrown, in 1979, ushering into power the theocracy that still rules there today.
My mother (an Australian WWII war bride) became a naturalized American just in time to vote for Adlai Stevenson, whom she admired immensely.
I know that but it’s a secret in my assisted living quarters. Sad to say, the day of wise elders is gone
Wake those folks up Jeri!
Agree, although they have policy aplenty; but it's all to serve their plutocratic patrons. Government of the people, by the richest, for the richest. It sucks but it's policy; and it threads though everything they do.
Not exactly and No time for purity tests.
Racist right wing religious extremists took over the GOP and the Supreme Court by uniting and reliably voting, running, volunteering Republican. There is a lesson here.
As the former NRA spokesperson says: I don't care if Herschel Walker aborted baby bald eagles. I want the Senate!
All the while by spewing hate for libtards, and “others.” Just what religious nuts like putrid Graham and his ilk preached from pulpits across the land. You are right, they recruited political newbies for every position, from school boards to dog catchers. And the indoctrination continues and the cult balloons.
Demonization works Jeri. And always has.
Remember Salem? A guy could try to force himself on a teenage girl, and, if she rejected him?
She was a WITCH. Burn her at the stake (alive).
Yep, it is not new.
One would think MSM would counter the lies, but they seem to just repeat them with precious little pushback. Shocking, I tell you.
And the sheep baa, as they promise to phase out Medicare, SS, Medicaid. All the while saying that Dems will do this. The rich have the loudest voice, always, even if by proxy…
“Open, honest, debate on policy,” I’m old, I vaguely remember. BTW, without hardware, things start to become inoperable. Putin found that out…. Maybe MBS should too. But oh, what about our bases? And the beat goes on…
"It is no secret that Saudi leaders cultivated the Trump family, which returned their overtures, and last year, Saudi leader Crown prince Mohammed bin Salman..."
Trump, bin Salman, and Putin. No nation in the world admires any of them, but they surely admire each other.
Ed Nuhfer...
Add Kushner to that notorious group...
Kushner is the son-in-law and “Advisor” of the all-time most corrupt American President.
A number of file boxes labeled Top Secret were illegally hidden At Mar Lardo.
Kushner was rejected for Top Secret clearance because of concerns about foreign influence. A trump appointee overruled the rejection and issued Jared his clearance.
Kushner actively defended Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia 2018 killing and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi.
Then the Prince approved Kushner for a two Billion dollar “Loan” from the 600-billion-dollar Saudi “Public Investment Fund’ after the Fund’s management officers denied the loan. The Prince then single-handedly rejected their denial, and issued Kushner the $2,000,000,000.00 loan.
The questionable loan approval by the Prince was his potential payback for Kushner’s actions from frompy’s White House defense of the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman of Saudi Arabia 2018 killing and dismemberment of Jamal Khashoggi.
Did Jared share any of the Secret Files hidden at Mar Lardo with the Prince as a loan inducement?
Phew!
Something stinks about Jared!
American investigative agencies need to clear the air from those spilt beans, Eh!?
"Something stinks about Jared!"
Starting with the fact that Jared's daddy gave Harvard $2 million dollars after Harvard rejected his application because of his poor high school academic performance.
Suddenly: Jared was ACCEPTED. Nice. America at work, doing what it does.
https://www.propublica.org/article/the-story-behind-jared-kushners-curious-acceptance-into-harvard
He even looks like a mindless robot. With money
“No pressure behind the eyes,” as a dear friend would kindly describe the intellectually challenged…
Jeri,
Indeed, his blank face gives him away.
With all due respect, Jeri, calling Jared a mindless robot is so similar to the level of how Trump refered to and made fun of. And still does. Aren’t we better than that?
Wow Mike!
This should be required reading for everyone on here today!!
In the new “The King’s Jester,” On Netflix, Hasan Minhaj skewers both the Saudis and Kushner. Unfortunately, the comedian seems to have experienced some frightening strong-arming from the Saudi government in the past, but that hasn’t stopped him from bringing their despicable control tactics to light, and the one-two punch to Kushner was delightful.
Sherree C (ME)
Hmmm...maybe Netflix actually has something other than extreme violence as an evening viewing selection...
Thank you for the delightfulness of witnessing a punching of Kushner metaphorically, almost as satisfying as smashing him in his face with my fist, repeatedly, Eh!?
All in plain sight. How dare anyone object.
About that $2 billion “loan” in today’s Steady letter, Dan Rather and Elliot Kirschner clarify: “nobody who is actually looking for a return on their investment would invest in Jared. What was that really about?“
https://steady.substack.com/p/with-friends-like-saudi-arabia?utm_source=substack&publication_id=247881&post_id=76729848&utm_medium=email&utm_content=share&action=share&triggerShare=true&isFreemail=true&token=eyJ1c2VyX2lkIjo2NjMwMzAyLCJwb3N0X2lkIjo3NjcyOTg0OCwiaWF0IjoxNjY1MDIyNzM4LCJleHAiOjE2Njc2MTQ3MzgsImlzcyI6InB1Yi0yNDc4ODEiLCJzdWIiOiJwb3N0LXJlYWN0aW9uIn0.VHaYAffq-TltYo802F3CP03-FnmYVDPzw66hqrwr87k
Rose (WNY via OH/OR/MA/FL/CO)
Kushner interceded via the orange-turd to prevent American retribution against the Prince's inhuman brutalism of an American citizen. The Prince paid off Kushner so the Prince could avoid the death penalty and Kushner could save his financial ass from problems with real estate loans on non-performing assets. And no one goes to jail....WOW! Eh!?
I can't help myself from thinking about Jared and the $2 billion dollars. And most people I mention this to are unaware and feel it's a conspiracy theory. I just don't believe that he did not have something to do with selling/giving secrets to the Prince.
👍🏼
Thanks, George!
Or find one another useful, for the time being.
In other words, they use each other for their own advantage. Some weird kind of friendship, huh?
"No nation in the world admires any of them, but they surely admire each other."
But every nation on earth currys favor with them, especially the United States of America.
Mike S
It is difficult to imagine being wealthily from such a filthy environmentally degrading theft of our beautiful world so we could be enabled to even further destroy our blue planet into the same atmospheric color of horrid orange as the asshole who's son-in-law daily profits from those chauvinistic pigs groveling in their hot as hell desert devoid of all worthwhile life...why would any woman choose existing in that hell-hole!?
Nations' peoples are increasingly not their government operatives. Jared has not been alone in feeding at the Saudi trough. How quickly we forget. https://www.codepink.org/hillary_clinton_the_podesta_group_and_the_saudi_regime_a_fatal_menage_a_trois
Don't forget the new golf venture that the Trump family is supporting through the use of his golf courses and his blatant disregard for Saudi Arabia being involved in 9/11, or finally the $2B that they gave the Kusher family after Trump left office. Absolutely insane the corruption is.
PhillyT
Yup....
I smell payback to Trump Republicans by the Saudis for their Jared $2 billion investment. Didn't expect something this good until late October.
Fred WI
We both smell the stench of the oil/real estate needy greedy's cover-up of the horrendous murder of an American citizen by the Saudi Prince going free by paying off those then in control of the American justice system....AND nobody is in jail for the atrocity!!!!!!
Reading more of the comments shows others see the connections, but Biden will be blamed. Just anticipating the $6 per gallon on November 8 drops to $4 as Republicans take House on November 9. Unless they declare the vote fraudulent.
We have to get away from our needless addiction to foreign oil and oil as a whole. We are seriously compromised by foreign oil, and that contributed to trump and Jared making their own deals with the Saudis, for example. So, trump and Jared turned a blind eye to Prince MBS's killing and dismembering a foreign journalist. Now, Jared received a $2 Billion hedge fund from his friend the prince. I imagine the $2 Billion will work its way from the hedge fund into Jared's personal account. And to think that the people of the U.S. are paying for all of this through oil and gas prices. As Nixon's aide Colson might say, "They've got us by the b---s."
"Let this be our national goal: At the end of this decade, in the year 1980, the United States will not be dependent on any other country for the energy we need to provide our jobs, to heat our homes, and to keep our transportation moving." - Richard Nixon
We have been bullied at home and abroad on account of our dependence on oil. The most historically notorious US monopoly was Standard Oil, which we once broke up, only to snooze while it mostly re-agglomerated. Wars have been fought over trade monopolies, and it's nuts to accept remaining at their mercy.
Nixon wanted more nuclear. I think climate destruction is an even greater risk than nuclear, but there are other ways to go. Nixon advised conservation (still a wise investment). Reagan dissed it. My larger, well insulated home (when I moved and had comparable data) proved significantly cheaper to heat than our smaller house, in a somewhat milder microclimate, that had been built in circa 1920; charming but poorly insulated, and all single-pane glazing. The new one is cooler in the summer too, without AC.
That's just one part of the solution which requires changes and innovation on many fronts. Renewable can be sustainable, fossil fuel cannot. Summers are becoming regularly aberrant and problematic. We fiddle around while the planet burns (there has been smoke in the air here for weeks).
JL,
Well written and exactly correct. We have to move on conservation and renewable energy NOW, not next week.
But, in America, every day is "wait till next week" to do what needs to be done.
Politicians tease, then cave. The 70’s gave us a clue, then Reagan promised us a movie script straight out of sci-fi.
It’s too bad we didn’t listen to Carter instead of making fun of him for his so-called malaise speech. And his solar panels on the WH. Whenever he tried to do anything about climate change & our oil addiction, he was laughed at, w those in his own party laughing the loudest--Ted Kennedy & Tip O’Neil come to mind.
Carter’s problem was that he tread where other politicians, including & especially those within his own party, feared to tread (like attempting to fight the iron triangle of our military industrial complex.) And his single mindedness & lack of DC experience did not serve him well, sadly. Throw in the Iranian hostage crisis, miraculously ended upon Reagan’s election, and Carter’s presidency--w all those good ideas--was doomed.
JL, please know that there are advanced designs for nuclear power that are "walk-away safe," and some that use spent nuclear fuel as their fuel.
https://www.ne.anl.gov/About/hn/logos-winter02-psr.shtml
Heydon, we must all cut that repugnant hand off of our collective balls.....
Amen.
Biden should call that Seventh Century Camel Fornicator and tell him he has five days to reverse the decision or we cut off his Army, Navy and Air Force from spare parts and replacements. With those damn Saudis for "allies" we don't need any enemies.
Great idea. But do those despots sitting on their gold thrones really care? They’re not all narcissists like TFG but they do love power. All kinds.
Good point, TC!
TC, sincerely, I wish YOU would run for office!
Thank you Heather.
Any upward fluctuation in the price of gas will translate into a failure of Biden. Unjust, absolutely. Yet it is a golden egg for the GOP to hold over the Democrats just in time for the midterms.
The GOP have been fairly silent as the price of gas has tumbled over 100 days straight. Rest assured they will squawk about this.
I predict we will be seeing the "I did this" Biden stickers on the gas pumps again in the not to distant future.
Ironic how the friends of Trump seem to rattle their saber at the most distinct time to hurt Democrats.
Be safe. Be well.
Gas has gone up 25% in Los Angeles in five days. Last Wednesday I paid $4.99/gal for regular at the "cheap" station. Today it was $5.99 - and it's over $6.50 for regular elsewhere and closing in on $7/gallon for premium. The oil companies claim they have had to reduce production due to "unscheduled maintenance." If you believe that, you probably believe the sun will rise in the west tomorrow.
I found a gas station near me in Central New York that consistently has the best price. Currently $3.59 vs $3.89 most everywhere. We have heard the rumblings of "the price will be going up because the blend of gas changes as it gets colder here". I've heard that song and dance for years. I honestly don't know if that is true or justification to jack up the prices.
Linda,
The below link might be of interest where seasonal changes in gas price are relevant:
https://www.convenience.org/Topics/Fuels/Changing-Seasons-Changing-Gas-Prices.
However, I think we should tax gas so high that seasonal fluctuations would pale by comparison of the total price.
Just like Europe does.
Thanks Mike. I appreciate the link.
Shades of Enron.
It’s what they do.
Why am I not surprised this happened right before our mid-terms? I was wondering why Putin didn't wait until the Republicans and Trump were back in office or why he didn't invade Ukraine while Trump was still in office. After all, Trump "believed" every word out of Putin's mouth! The Trumplican controlling branch of the Republican Party is often running on an anti war platform, even though no American troops are involved right now.
Of course, Putin timed this so it would have maximum effect on our upcoming election! When are we ever going to learn. Letting tyrants control our domestic supply of anything is crazy. I still remember the Saudi oil embargo of the 1970s. Green Energy can't come soon enough! Thank goodness for the Chips Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. Unfortunately I am afraid they might have come too late.
https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/04/23/climate-renewables-could-oust-fossil-fuels-to-power-the-world-by-2050.html
Some perspective in this report. A hotly debated idea that renewables can replace fossils. Theoretically it is possible. The realization of it in the US, not so clear. When one of two political parties does not give a shit about renewables, sustainability or climate change, it will remain an uphill battle. The only party that can or will lead, if pushed, on this issue is the Democratic Party. I think it deserves mention that a large number of the world’s 60 largest banks increased their involvement with fossil fuels over recent years. Is this not a tale of two views? One, a month to month, quarter to quarter transactional view of life, and another, long range view.
I don't know to what extent renewables per se can solve our energy problem but I think remedial actions can take many forms. If we woke up one morning and all the oil wells were dry, it would be a disaster of course, but I think would see innovation in high gear. In some areas Republicans DO give a shit about renewables and often do their best to hobble them, because their energy industry patrons see it as a threat to rapacious profits. It's weird how so much of the public can be persuaded to defend that. They need to be persuaded otherwise. I think Democrats need to focus on this.
Thank you, HCR, for once again clarifying a complex situation. If only the network and cable news media would follow suit, Americans might learn a few things instead of jumping to conclusions and placing blame where it doesn’t belong. Deep thanks….
Ye think, been waiting for eons but the MSM has only jumped in the wrong direction
Good point, a lot of American's and those in media tend to try to provide simple solutions or reasons to very complex problems. One of my favorite things about the newsletter from HCR is that she always provides nuance and the history of how we got to where we are today.
Saudi Arabia loves Trump. Authoritarians who despise women stick together.
Saudi (MBS) knew a sucker when they smelled him. As did Vlad. One reason he did not fade away. Now he has all these new rich friends from his time in power. They are all waiting, plotting, and licking their lips…
Not many here are on the side of limiting global warming. Gas needs to be high to discourage its use. And it needs to be high not just because the market is giving the profits to oil producers. But rather we need a large rebated carbon fee. Then you have an incentive to use less gas and not drive a Chevy Suburban when you could be driving a Prius or even better a Chevy Bolt EV.
With a rebated carbon fee, everyone gets "taxed" but they are rebated the average amount. If you are especially efficient, you will make money. If you are average, you will break even. The incentive is to reduce consumption of non-renewables always.
Also, solar for your home. The rebate I received last year cut my cost to buy significantly. Plus, the immediate savings in monthly utility bills.
I'm keeping solar in mind, but we don't have much roof area facing south here in Minneapolis. We are signed up for wind power through our utility for just a couple of dollars extra per month, but I don't know how much of that is an accounting gimmick.
Morning, Matt!! I feel that as long as each of us does something, we will be helping stem the fossil fuel tide. I have yet to get an EV, but since retirement five years ago, I hardly ever drive anymore. But I still need to make the change soon.
In my commuting days, I used to see one solitary wind turbine in the distance as I was driving home. I never looked into it for us. I did "flirt" with the idea of geothermal but decided to go with solar. I can't remember why!
It seems to me that there are endless opportunities to "fine tune" productive solutions to a wide array of circumstances, if and when it is a national priority. Decentralizing energy production, even to some extent, would materially strengthen democracy. Making the rich much richer at the expense of the poor accomplishes just the opposite. Historically is always has.
We do have plenty of wind here in western Minnesota, supplying the Minneapolis / St. Paul area.
I think our next step will be installing an air sourced heat pump, while keeping our natural gas furnace for backup when it gets really cold. It might make more sense to spring for a ground sourced heat pump that can handle all temps, but that would definitely cost more $.
Good night!
Here’s a vote for geothermal. I installed it 10 years ago when I built my house. AC is still higher than heating bill (Virginia) but the system had paid for itself a few years in. Maintenance cost has been $0.
Like that maintenance cost price tag, Gail. Speaks for itself!
"Not many here are on the side of limiting global warming" - that seems abundantly clear from here - which rather alarms me - as I would have hoped that HCR's followers would be a bit more savvy. Evidently not.
Heather, Re: your power outage....I live in India in a rural community near Mumbai. We have outages all the time. I have learned to live with it. All of us have to transition to “clean energy”. This news of oil prices rising again is so disheartening....
Glad all is safe for you and yours HCR! Really hope the prices don't impact the midterms. We need every shred of help we can get to save our democracy. Thanks HCR, as always.
Yes, except I think the point IS to affect the midterm elections. It is a literal Gas War.
So we let Republicans (and complicit Democrats) massively deregulate commerce. Yay Freedom. Who benefited from that? Who has suffered? What's in it for us?
This is basically an economic declaration of war. OPEC+ knows their global value is reduced to zero once the transition to a zero-carbon economy is complete. This also presents an incredible opportunity to jumpstart that transition by an appeal to what really Made America Great: a measure of self-sacrifice for the good of the country and other democracies around the world.
This "greatness" was most clearly shown in the WWII economic miracle that transformed the U.S. into a superpower, except that instead of tanks and bombers, it's solar panels and windmills. The existential threat we face is many times greater than WWII, but the benefits are also on a similar scale.
It's time to cut the cord and send these countries back to their agrarian past, unless of course, they want to become a part of that miracle. Conversely, Americans who would sell their country for $3/gallon gas need a hard reality check. This opportunity must become a central part of the political conversation.
“ Conversely, Americans who would sell their country for $3/gallon gas need a hard reality check. This opportunity must become a central part of the political conversation.” YES!