The Biden Administration wants to put a cap on the prices paid for Russian oil. Would you support this?

[Avicenna]

Seems like the height of arrogance to me as well as being unworkable. Here's an article on this topic:
Biden Administration wants price caps on Russian oil

Yes, I love the idea!

No, that would be crazy!

[Sixgunsound]

Realistically, that’s unenforceable, so I don’t give a rats hindquarters what the administration wants. Putin is already forcing people to buy his energy in Rubles and grandpa gaffe is powerless to stop him.

[Sixgunsound]

Thanks for MHO

[joeldalton]

This sounds like a brilliant idea. Absolutely no way it would backfire.

[Avicenna]

No doubt that's a feature, not a bug

[joeldalton]

No way China would buy that oil to gain a competitive advantage over the west.

[Avicenna]

I agree. They'd never do anything to further their own interests, right?

And it's not as if China benefits at all from Biden Administration policies.

[joeldalton]

@Avicenna You'd have to be one of those wild conspiracy theorists to think Biden's policies are created with the sole purpose of harming america and enriching the countries where his family has business dealings.

[Avicenna]

I know, I mean how would anyone think for one second that the selfless Bidenistas have anything but our country's best interests at heart?

[joeldalton]

They're not like that big meanie Putin who made us have inflation.

[Avicenna]

I know, and Putin, he got Trump elected in 2016, too.

[joeldalton]

Sure did. Hillary told me so.

[Avicenna]

Thank God the Democrats changed voting laws without state legislatures' approval so we had mass vote by mail without ID and ballot harvesting or else Putin would have stolen the 2020 election as well.

[joeldalton]

Exactly. Our elections were made safe and fair by allowing unvalidated mail in ballots. Thank God that we had governors willing to lock people in their homes so that they could vote by mail.

[Avicenna]

Now that Putin has made gas so expensive that we can't drive to the polls anyway, all voting should done by mail without validation. Requiring signature verification or photo ID is totally racist and would keep most people from voting, which would make it possible for Putin to steal the next election.

[joeldalton]

Don't forget we should let anyone within the borders vote. It seems discriminatory to restrict voting to just citizens.

[Avicenna]

Borders are discriminatory too. We should let everyone in the world vote by mail in US elections and give them free medical care so that everyone will like us. We should also pay their pensions and protect them all.

And they will all ride bicycles to the next mailbox where they can drop off their unsigned ballot to be processed by the USPS since our Dear Leader Joe Biden will soon destroy those awful fossil fuels.

[joeldalton]

We should be in charge with these good ideas.

[Avicenna]

I agree. Then the Dear Leader will have more time to share hookers and drugs with his genius son.

[joeldalton]

Don't forget showering with underage female relatives.

[Avicenna]

That's right, and groping underage non-relatives as well. He won't even have to leave his basement, so he won't risk falling on his face.

[RolandCuthbert]

Of course, I support it. It is just really hard to enforce. Too many nations are still doing business with Russia and they are not in the G-7. Russia can sell its oil to proxies who then in turn sell to Europe.

The thing is you post like the "Biden Administration" is placing a cap on Russian oil. This is a move by the G-7 of which the US is a member.

For anyone reading your trash. The U. S. never relied upon Russian oil. We are the world's largest oil producer. Period. The issue is Europe. They need to get oil from other sources. But those sources could still buy from Russia then mark up the price for Putin.

[Avicenna]

What part of "Biden Administration wants..." don't you understand? After all, according to this article, the trash idea did originate in the Biden Administration:

www.cnbc.com/.../...e-cap-on-russian-oil-work.html

But of course, we could lower the price of oil that Putin gets and everyone pays by drilling more and exporting it to Europe rather than emptying out the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

[RolandCuthbert]

And that makes a difference to your argument? You are saying that the Biden administration should not even suggest to Europe what it should do, even as they are our allies and they are doing everything they can to rid themselves of dependency on Russian oil?

If this is just a suggestion, as you say, they can figure out their own strategy. You think that Biden has mind-control powers or something?

[Avicenna]

Where do you get that from? First of all, they could have reduced their dependency on Russian oil several years ago by buying more energy from us. And there's anyhow nothing wrong with diversifying their energy suppliers. They chose to be very reliant on Russian energy and they've chosen to make fossil fuel energy expensive. Europe is also filled with countries that are dependencies, so they had to go along with sanctions on Russia. This plan is a quid pro quo since Russia won't be giving them any discounts.

But it's crazy to think we can dictate to the rest of the world what the price of Russian oil only will be. That's my point.

Furthermore, the main purpose of sanctions may well have been to reduce investment in Russian energy industries. If Biden would be willing to destroy the US fossil fuel industries, why not Russia's as well?

[RolandCuthbert]

Of course they should have. But shoulda, could've, woulda doesn't do a thing today. They have to figure out a strategy to do this today. You are don't like their strategy.

Who gives a fuck about what some troll on the net thinks Europe should do? If what you say is true, then Biden made some compelling argument. .. or Europeans are dumb as shit.

I am thinking actually neither. I don't think Europeans care much about Biden's advice. And they do whatever fuck they want. Again and again, Biden was trying to be measured in how much he helped Ukraine. And again and again Europe went above and beyond. Switzerland dropped its neutrality. Sweden/Norway are joining NATO. Turkey is sending devastating drones to Ukraine.

You hate the media but bought everything they told you hook, line, and sinker.

Biden ain't leading shit. He is being dragged along. Zelensky is the only leader here. Followed by Europeans who look at Putin and see Hitler 2.0. They are going to do whatever it takes to stop him.

Zelensky has told everyone again and again, that they need to do everything they can to punish the Russian economy. And Europe is responding to him and his requests. Biden is just there smiling for the cameras.

[Avicenna]

Biden personally being dragged along, sure. But not by Europe, by his puppeteers.

You'd have us believe that these passive European countries, most of whom were so unworried about Putin that even after the Crimea takeover, couldn't be bothered to spend the 2% of GDP on defense they promised to do and couldn't be bothered to reduce their dependence on Russian energy because it was Trump who wanted to wean them from it, are taking the lead on sanctioning Russia at the risk of severely damaging their economies and are the ones dragging Biden along.

But if you're militarily dependent on the US when Russia is clearly a threat, you have to go along with whoever is making policy for the US. If the Europeans were doing what they want to do, they'd still be buying Russian energy as if nothing had happened.

Zelensky is a corrupt puppet. I know you have friends in Ukraine, but don't be blind to reality.

And Europe is all in on the idea of moving completely to renewable energy, so they'd be happy to see reduced investment in Russia's energy sector, much as has happened to Iran and Venezuela.

[RolandCuthbert]

His puppeters? What the fuck? It is pretty evident that on the world stage Zelensky has shown up everyone.

I mean, if you don't like the Ukrainian policy at least say something resembling logic. Ukraine has secret interest group in the U. S. Zelensky just ended up being way more than anyone bargained for.

And he has pushed everyone farther than the ever would have gone otherwise.

Nothing you say makes any sense. They are militarily dependent upon us? Nah, they were just smart. Why pay the bill if the U. S. is so willing to? Our public doesn't care that we outspend the next eight countries combined when it comes to defense.

And if you run on a platform saying you are going to defund the military, you lose. That isn't Europe's fault.

That is on us. We are idiots. The only thing we should have provided was a nuclear shield.

So now, the issue is that Russia is on the move and without Ukraine's prodding our response would be wishy washy. Biden would have sent some weapons, but not others. He would have given a lot of lip service. But nothing compared to what is happening now.

I don't even understand what your point is. Because to claim this is some U. S. led intervention is beyond laughable at this point.

As for Russia invading Crimea, even Ukraine didn't put up much resistance. The attitude in Kiev was that as long as Russia didn't try annexing more territory, they would just ignore it. Having been to Crimea, most folks there identify with being Russian anyway.

So why send in troops to reclaim a region where a significant number of people would pledge allegiance to Putin?

Donbas, well that is different.

[Avicenna]

You keep expecting us to believe things that just aren't realistic.

Zelensky would have been assassinated had he done anything but resist the Russian invasion. But it's not particularly heroic to demand lots of aid, although the Ukrainians have fought heroically. Do we know what has happened to this aid? Ukraine is a very corrupt place and Russia certainly isn't sitting back and ignoring deliveries of weapons. And apparently, we're paying salaries and pensions of Ukrainian government employees. How long will that go on? And how long will this be done on the backs of ordinary people in the US? But I'm sure US defense contractors and US politicians and their families are making out swimmingly from all this.

"Letting us pay" is just another way of admitting that NATO members are largely dependent on us for their defense (the UK is an exception), and even the Baltic states and Poland, who do spend what they've promised to on defense, still need our protection. But I do agree that a nuclear shield could well be provided to supplement that of the UK and France.

And obviously no one is calling for US troops to be deployed to Ukraine to fight the Russians (least of all me), so you can retire that strawman.

At the end of the day, you're left claiming that the Europeans are willingly imperiling their economies to assist Ukraine in its fight against Russia on their own initiative and dragging the US along on sanctions. That defies reality, especially in Germany. It's much more logical to admit that European dependence on the US for protection means that they'd have to go along with a US policy.

[RolandCuthbert]

1. Zelensky would have been assassinated? Nothing you post support anything of the sort. Have you ever been to Ukraine? Russia? Truthfully prior to this latest escalation, most of my Ukrainian friends were disappointed in Zelensky. As even they didn't think he would provide this kind of leadership. They have been exceedingly proud ever since however.

2. Haha!! I don't think I will you judge what is heroic. When you leave the anonymous protection of the net, you can lecture me on heroism. Until then. . . uhm. . . try to get a tiny bit of self-awareness.

3. Of course Ukraine is corrupt. So is Russia, Italy, Turkey, Nigeria, Latvia, etc. What does that have to do with the point that no one brought Europe to the table besides Zelensky? This isn't a U. S. led operation. Stay focused. As for where the aid is going. Ask Russia, they are ones sending bodybags back to Moscow. They can tell you all about the aid Ukraine has received.

4. ? We are paying who. . . what? Dude, get your facts straight. The latest aid package to Ukraine was less than 1 billion. We gave 2 trillion to the banks. Get upset about something that's real. And see, this is the issue. You are constantly disingenuous. If you dislike aid to Ukraine, just say that. Stop pretending you have some other issue. . . so you can guide the conversation here. Just say you dislike aid to Ukraine because it is corrupt. Rather than pretending you dislike some nonexistent Biden policy.

Because there is simply no need to talk with someone who doesn't have enough courage to post their real views. And can only create these disingenuous links to their real concerns.

[Avicenna]

I had to laugh when you, of all people, accuses someone of the capital crime of "lecturing". But on to more substantive topics.

Zelensky being assassinated (or deposed) was certainly possible, and what you posted anyhow isn't inconsistent with that because if he were already unpopular, he ran a great risk of being removed once the Russians invaded if he hadn't done what the military and the people wanted (note he banned opposition parties). But it's not so crucial here to posit whether he would have or not.

Anyone can have an opinion on whether Zelensky is heroic, and it doesn't matter if that opinion is expressed online or IRL. I don't see what's "brave" about declaring Zelensky "heroic". But this is not important or relevant.

Not a US operation? Really? So there is no State Department involvement in this? BS. I can see people like Victoria Nuland having their fingerprints all over this, and I doubt defense contractors are a disinterested party, either.

And how much money has been given to Ukraine in aid? Well over $40 billion since the start of the war alone. That's too big to simply ignore. And as for your strawman about bank bailouts 13 years ago, whether that was justified or not is a topic for another day and completed unrelated to this topic. That the US government wastes money on a lot of things is certainly true, which is why we should have accountability on aid to Ukraine.

One doesn't have to be an expert on Ukraine and the Russian Federation to have an opinion on those countries and the war, but since you asked, I've spent over half of my adult life living in Europe or doing peacekeeping in the Balkans (including working with Russian "peacekeepers"), and have known and worked with dozens of people from Russia and Ukraine, so I've been exposed to both sides' views on the dispute between them, as well as that of my father, who majored in Russian Studies as an undergrad.

[Avicenna]

At the end of the day, while the US is not dependent on Russian energy, we and our NATO allies are dependent on the level of energy prices, so now is definitely the wrong time to be following policies that restrict the supply of energy and drive up its price. And Putin's war machine benefits more than anyone else from higher energy prices. The idea to cap prices for Russian energy exports was designed to keep Europe on board with sanctions that will cut of a lot of their supply of energy and protect their economies from a loss of competitiveness from having to pay higher prices for energy than economic rivals in Asia.

[RealMarek]

There is a thing called the Law of Supply and Demand. Not theory, not hypothesis... an iron-clad law. Because of this law of nature, price controls always result in shortages. So if we want a repeat of the 1970s lines at gasoline stations, sure, go ahead and impose some sort of price cap.

[exitseven]

Do you think Putin is gonna give a rats ass what Biden says? He has already been bought and paid for.

[Avicenna]

Putin does not take orders or cues from Biden's puppeteers. That drives them crazy. But he's a dictator with a lot of economic and military weapons.

[Chazmatazz269]

Meanwhile, they’re selling the US reserves. There’s speculation that this is how they intend to end our dependence on fossil fuels just as he promised. I do like to see politicians keep their promises! Ell oh ell!

[FunkyMonkee]

I fully support him stepping, lying or falling down from office and letting the ADULTS run the country like they were doing BEFORE he cheated his way in!!

[Guy13]

The left is trying to start a war...

[Avicenna]

It does seem like they want war with Russia, but they would want Russia to initiate it. Looks so far like Putin isn't dumb enough to take the bait.

[Guy13]

THEY want a war so that country borders can be redrawn and renamed. Asset and Resource Hoarding...

One thing about WW1 and WW2 is America learned to admire the Nazi/Fascist attention to detail and means to accomplish. Along with that came both the Jews, whose self-hate or greed was so great, that they joined Nazis , as well as fleeing for their lives in persecution Jew..

We received all of that and it looks as if the Communist Education System and now Left dominated Business has taken over much of the "Nazi" influence.

[Avicenna]

Your comments about Jews are totally insane and totally anti-Semitic. You are, however, correct that big business is dominated by leftists who are working hand in glove with a leftist-dominated federal government.

[Guy13]

Get ahold of yourself.. You can read about the Jews who sided with the Nazis just as you can read about the Christians. Elie Wiesel would be a good source for you to begin...

[Avicenna]

Go re-read the nonsense you wrote. Do you want to make corrections to it?

[Guy13]

You are uniformed... and you're 50, right? There's huge data sources from the persecuted Jews themselves... I can give you handful off the top of my head. GO TO HOLOCAUST MUSEUM in DC SO that you can read it yourself OR are those who put that together lying. And apparently, you are unaware that Jews, Christians, Americans etc self-hate. You' re 50 years old, right?

[Avicenna]

You're not even coherent, so no one can tell anymore what you're trying to say. That there are some self-hating people is a known fact as the fact Jews were persecuted, but what else you're saying makes no sense.

[Anonymous]

Oil under $100 a barrel, BUT the big oil companies are gouging the American people with the help and approval of the Republican Party… Republicans do not care about you, Republicans want you to suffer, then blame it on the Democrats.

[Avicenna]

Sure... the Democrats control the federal government. Its their policy and their regulatory state- they alone are responsible.

[BungusHighFivePizza]

i want cheap stuff dont make me pay more 4 stuff

[OddBeMe]

Not too sure I understand fully. But if it fcks Putin and his oligarchs I’m in.

[peedy]

Its only going to make the price of gas go up even higher

[Anonymous]

No, that would be crazy!