You can provide all of the anecdotal scenarios you want.  I just laugh at anyone giving blind trust to the all powerful government to protect us, have our best interest at heart, and tell us the truth (*wink-*wink).

posted by ernest_t_bass

You can provide all of the anecdotal scenarios you want.  I just laugh at anyone giving blind trust to the all powerful government to protect us, have our best interest at heart, and tell us the truth (*wink-*wink).

That’s fine.  But if you don’t trust the government under any circumstance, why do you assume the Russian returned is a bad guy.  After all, the only reason anyone considers him a bad guy is because our government arrested him in the first place.

both points show why its also laughable to call Griner Anti American for protesting injustice as she sees it by the american government, while also saying daily we don't trust the gov't and that we need automatic weapons for the specific reason that we dont trust the american government

posted by geeblock

both points show why its also laughable to call Griner Anti American for protesting injustice as she sees it by the american government, while also saying daily we don't trust the gov't and that we need automatic weapons for the specific reason that we dont trust the american government

Maybe because there is, or can be a big difference between real Americans and the government, or portions thereof. 

Best

posted by ernest_t_bass
CIA covering their own butt is unlikely?  Where do people get this blind allegiance and trust to all things government?   In every single situation, I would put myself on the side of "the government is lying to us" before I would put myself on the side of "The government has our best interest at heart, and is telling us the truth."

Him being a CIA spy/agent, getting caught, and America not doing more to get him back — that seems unlikely.

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

That’s fine.  But if you don’t trust the government under any circumstance, why do you assume the Russian returned is a bad guy.  After all, the only reason anyone considers him a bad guy is because our government arrested him in the first place.

Show where I said any of that.

Gas 2.89 today! Thanks biden!!

(Cue jmog telling me the president has no influence over gas prices) 

posted by ernest_t_bass

Show where I said any of that.

Unfair assumption on my part

posted by geeblock

Gas 2.89 today! Thanks biden!!

(Cue jmog telling me the president has no influence over gas prices) 

Still up .50 since Trump left office. 

posted by geeblock

Gas 2.89 today! Thanks biden!!

(Cue jmog telling me the president has no influence over gas prices) 

Still up 35%, after it already sucked out an incremental $3,200 from the average household over the last year. 

And it is taking a recession to get the price to decline ...............wow, how great is that.

posted by QuakerOats

Still up 35%, after it already sucked out an incremental $3,200 from the average household over the last year. 

And it is taking a recession to get the price to decline ...............wow, how great is that.

Sorry, calling bullshit on that number.

Gas was supposedly $2.39/gallon (national average) when Trump left office despite the $1.87 to $1.83 (depending on what day it is) claims.

All we have to do is hope China keeps their crazy-ass lockdown in effect that is greatly reducing their demand on the supply. With them being a country that actually enforces that shit, the longer they keep it going on the poor drones in that place, the better it will be for our prices.

posted by queencitybuckeye

Sorry, calling bullshit on that number.

Hey, for all you know, the average household is solely composed of cross country truckers!

posted by geeblock

Gas 2.89 today! Thanks biden!!

(Cue jmog telling me the president has no influence over gas prices) 

Unless you were here complaining about Biden when it was >$4/gal you can’t cheer him when it’s <$3/gal.

I don’t remember you on here blaming Biden for $4….

posted by jmog

Unless you were here complaining about Biden when it was >$4/gal you can’t cheer him when it’s <$3/gal.

I don’t remember you on here blaming Biden for $4….

Maybe he’s not cheering him and only being sarcastic.  Maybe he understands that a president has virtually no effect in current gasoline prices.  

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

Maybe he’s not cheering him and only being sarcastic.  Maybe he understands that a president has virtually no effect in current gasoline prices.  

They can’t control, but saying there is no effect or virtually no effect is laughable.

QO is a moron who thinks the POTUS controls gas prices. He’s wrong.

Anyone who says the President has no effect is just as wrong.

The overarching policies around the country that are steered by POTUS and Congress absolutely affect gas prices. A President can be “friendly” to certain industries and “unfriendly”. For instance, they could say “drill everywhere” vs “no new drilling leases” and the first would increase supply, the other would restrict it.

That would affect prices at the pump.

People saying a President’s policies have no or virtually no effect on gas prices are as uninformed as those saying a President controls gas prices.

posted by jmog

They can’t control, but saying there is no effect or virtually no effect is laughable.

QO is a moron who thinks the POTUS controls gas prices. He’s wrong.

Anyone who says the President has no effect is just as wrong.

The overarching policies around the country that are steered by POTUS and Congress absolutely affect gas prices. A President can be “friendly” to certain industries and “unfriendly”. For instance, they could say “drill everywhere” vs “no new drilling leases” and the first would increase supply, the other would restrict it.

That would affect prices at the pump.

People saying a President’s policies have no or virtually no effect on gas prices are as uninformed as those saying a President controls gas prices.

I never said he "controls gas prices".

The policies of any administration create the environment for the industry; they can either be accommodating, neutral, or hostile.  When the policies are hostile, the prices will ultimately rise.  It is not (total) "control" (your word); it does SUBSTANTIALLY affect prices.  

posted by queencitybuckeye

Sorry, calling bullshit on that number.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/18/households-are-spending-the-equivalent-of-5000-a-year-on-gasoline.html

It is $2,200 (not $3,200)

posted by queencitybuckeye

Sorry, calling bullshit on that number.

https://www.cnbc.com/2022/05/18/households-are-spending-the-equivalent-of-5000-a-year-on-gasoline.html

It is $2,200 incremental (not $3,200)

posted by jmog

They can’t control, but saying there is no effect or virtually no effect is laughable.

QO is a moron who thinks the POTUS controls gas prices. He’s wrong.

Anyone who says the President has no effect is just as wrong.

The overarching policies around the country that are steered by POTUS and Congress absolutely affect gas prices. A President can be “friendly” to certain industries and “unfriendly”. For instance, they could say “drill everywhere” vs “no new drilling leases” and the first would increase supply, the other would restrict it.

That would affect prices at the pump.

People saying a President’s policies have no or virtually no effect on gas prices are as uninformed as those saying a President controls gas prices.

I said they have no effect on current prices.  An administration's policies certainly can effect the long-term supply and demand balance.  But to suggest that a president does something that causes prices to go up or come down in the immediate near term is false.  For example, Biden didn't do anything that caused prices to go up to almost $5/gallon this past summer (even though the stickers said he did) and he didn't do anything to make them go down $2 since.  The international oil spot market dictates these swings.

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

I said they have no effect on current prices.  An administration's policies certainly can effect the long-term supply and demand balance.  But to suggest that a president does something that causes prices to go up or come down in the immediate near term is false.  For example, Biden didn't do anything that caused prices to go up to almost $5/gallon this past summer (even though the stickers said he did) and he didn't do anything to make them go down $2 since.  The international oil spot market dictates these swings.

Current prices are also effected by speculation almost as much as current supply/demand.

If a President made a huge announcement saying something stupid like “I am shutting down all drilling in the US”

That wouldn’t affect supply/demand immediately but the prices would change immediately due to speculation and futures. Because they would try to manipulate the demand in expectation/speculation of future supply problems due to the statement.

You have to understand this right?

And effectively putting enemies and foreign despots in charge of our oil supply is right up there with the most idiotic things these jackasses have done.

posted by jmog

Current prices are also effected by speculation almost as much as current supply/demand.

If a President made a huge announcement saying something stupid like “I am shutting down all drilling in the US”

That wouldn’t affect supply/demand immediately but the prices would change immediately due to speculation and futures. Because they would try to manipulate the demand in expectation/speculation of future supply problems due to the statement.

You have to understand this right?

Yes, I suppose if a president said he was shutting down all drilling, or that he was declaring nuclear war, or some other outlying circumstance, that could affect prices.  But that’s not what’s happening.

posted by Dr Winston O'Boogie

Yes, I suppose if a president said he was shutting down all drilling, or that he was declaring nuclear war, or some other outlying circumstance, that could affect prices.  But that’s not what’s happening.

They basically stopped holding auctions and issuing new permits.  That satisfies the far left of the party.  And then they gaslight everyone else claiming "9000 unused permits" is the same as saying there are proven wells just waiting to be drilled.

And then Biden goes and begs the Saudi's to pump more oil.

Reality is it takes a minimum of 2+ years from auction to actually producing oil (up to a decade or more for deep offshore rigs). 

One of many missteps that ultimately will lead to much higher prices in the future.  There isn't some magic knob to turn production on and off.  When prices start rising again in the near future, real relief will be years away because the Biden Admin has crushed development and exploration.