Pssst! Hey, all you fucktards blaming Biden for gas prices?
Guess what, shitheads? THE FUCKING KEYSTONE PIPELINE WASN'T GOING TO BE FINISHED AND ONLINE UNTIL 2030 IN ANY CASE!
NOW STOP LIEING ABOUT GAS PRICES!!!
So, my points were not really about the Keystone Pipeline, I feel, at least not in and of itself. More about Biden seeming out of touch with how his own decisions and stated positions may have caused the fossil fuel industry to think it was a good idea not to expand. I'm well aware that oil is producing more or less at current capacity, that's why I quoted 90%+ production capacity as a number. Oil, I feel, would have trouble expanding fast enough to make an immediate impact on gas prices, I'll agree. But fracking maybe coulda done it because most of a fracking station's output happens in the first year or so of its life, I think? Biden tried to ban it on Federal land, though he also backed out at the last second and kinda sold out liberals. I also think he's trying to lay blame at the feet of corporations for not exercising artificial supply controls as a segue into questionable uses of executive power to attempt to do just that. Which brings up the point that I am often skeptical of executive power, since it seems to me a lot like individual autocracy, and I don't really trust many/any(?) of the would-be presidents of the future on either side not to abuse that kind of power, as well as being skeptical of command economies in general, and not thinking oil companies can really produce much more at this point in time, in which case trying to command them to increase supply like Biden is hinting he might do is a bit pointless.
Admittedly though, the strategic reserves probably aren't big enough that promising to buy back into them at a set price would make much of a difference to expansion incentives unless we really expanded them, which would cost perhaps a bit too much and last only so long before us having to buy in again. So on that point I was wrong. Also, while I did blame inflation somewhat on Biden and his inability to handle transportation issues and promoted COVID supply incentives leading to shortages, as well as the Fed raising rates too slowly... Those rates were only that low in part because of Trump, who also doubled the deficit and printed some money (I think, not as sure on the latter), and Trump according to Pat (better informed than me on some of this and more capable of explaining it) had a big hand in the shortages as well. So it's not just Biden's failure, but I feel there is at least a little blame and limited competence to go around to him too.
So that's kinda where I was coming from. Don't feel like I was lying, and here's roughly what I posted:
Speaking of failures, I know the people behind this article are to some degree invested in making it a Biden hit piece, but it still kinda scares me as regards his authoritarian tendencies and seeming incompetence. https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/biden-threatens-oil-companies-emergency-powers-supply-inflation
Firstly, we are not a command economy, so using emergency powers to control private production is kinda sketch.
Secondly, Biden has been hostile to oil expansion from the start, they couldn't expand that fast even if his policies like "carbon neutral by 2035" weren't signaling them not to, and despite this they are already at well over 90% theoretical production capacity, and he sent signals to the fracking industry that prevented them (the only ones who could ramp up supply fast enough) from feeling safe enough to expand by doing things like trying to ban fracking on federal lands.
And refused to do things like promise to buy back into the strategic reserves necessary for our security, that he continues to deplete to boost polling numbers, if prices fall low as a result of such expansion. When supply goes up, prices go down, and then you have to deal with any overexpansion. He has done nothing to convince them to expand, and is now threatening to force it (with oil, which can't do it, rather than fracking, which could actually handle some of it) when that (total lack of negotiation and effort) won't work.
It also feels to me like he's lying and covering for his own inflation and fossil fuel incompetence by trying to pin the blame on oil companies America relies on, and that are often unnecessarily demonized to begin with. Fail.
So a little hostile towards Biden, but mainly on the grounds that I thought he was being deceptive and/or incompetent in this particular area. Which to be fair, I think the average American is pretty skeptical he can handle inflation and gas prices at this point in time. I had hoped we'd get more out of him, just as I always hope the current president will make things better for America, even when I don't agree with them. That said, I think to some extent who can we hold accountable if not our political and economic leaders in times like these.