Biden announces ban on Russian oil imports, other energy products

That is all well and good. Here is my problem. Joanna Smith, a single mother of two, now has a job paying 18.00 bucks an hour as a nursing aid requiring a commute to a small town that involves a 35 mile drive to and from. Her only other source of income is 'Dad's child support check which has not changed in 3 years, and requires an divorce lawyer to navigate. She can't live off that Walmart wage or that Wendy's wage jobs that are closer, and her wage is indirectly dependent on Medicaid re-imbursement rates on one end, and her SNAP and section 8 help on the other end, none of which is tied to inflation. Inflationary costs are already in full swing, and they are already hitting her grocery bill and her gas costs, soon to spread every other bill she is likely to get including her monthly rent. Now we are going to add at least some fuel to this pre-existing fire that is already out of control and nobody can claim that they can quantify any real deterrent impact on Putin when so few allies are willing to go along.

Most people do not commute so that they can enjoy the AM radio and watch the trees whiz by, so what is the plan here?

 

Yes it is, but there is a real good reason not to announce sanctions first, and hope you can find allies later. Its the same 'go it alone' attitude we have often displayed around our European friends that Biden has shrewdly avoided with this coalition.

 

He was asked about doing so, Psaki was asked five days ago the say question. The position of the administration dug it's position that there is no strategic interest in Russian energy sanctions. Even a statement of fact "Blinken argued that sanctions would drive up the cost of oil and provide Russia more short-term benefit.". What changed over two days?

 

So you admit Biden is leading from behind.

 

I've read several articles over the past week about how the administration is genuinely surprised at the speed and severity of the European sanctions on Russia so far, generally thinking we are ahead of any planned "schedule" on sanctions. I think they're taking the chance that an unexpected step like this, after downplaying the concept, will show we are as serious as they are in this endeavor...

I also think that since this concept was toiling away in the ridiculous excuse for Congress these days, he's not going this alone and just beating Congress to the punch..

Also, it seems to be supported by the majority in the poll referenced in the OP..

 

Thanks for admitting (by passing) that nobody said they wouldn't do this... It's a start, man!! It really is....

 

'European allies'? Europe hasn't been an ally of the US since or even including 1945. What constitutes an 'alliance' to Europe, as in this case as well is how much the Europeans can suck the blood of the American People dry. If this backfires/when this backfires, we should think not as R/D or for some "international community", but ask ourselves: Are we serving the red, white and blue to our fullest interest?

 

I cannot find any link in the OP, but the ones I saw referenced in the media, were not showing a lot of patience for pain at the pump in the form of sanctions for Ukraine. Everyone wants 'tough sanctions' but nobody wants to pay them themselves Gas is already almost double what it was a few months ago locally in my part of the woods.

Republicans are going to swing at Biden no matter what he does on this. He can't win regardles but I think you are in dreamland if you think Congress was really going to push for an 'opportunity' to vote for sanctions that are going to tie them directly to any larger increase in gas prices when midterms are around the corner.

I see the good intentions here, and I have been completely on board with Biden every step of the way ( I think he has done masterful work here) - until today. I suspect we are going to have to agree to disagree here. I think this is a serious over-reach because he did not build a foundation of support before he did this.

 

Defeating Russian land grabs of Democratic countries (without American bloodshed) qualifies in my book. If it doesn't in yours, I recommend a different library...

 

I see a lot of D's and R's in this list... plus the terminally party-confused Manchin himself...

https://www.manchin.senate.gov/news...ipartisan-effort-to-ban-russia-energy-imports

If both sides vote for it, neither "side" can globally use the issue as a midterm punching bag, although individuals can say they voted for it or against it, depending on how it turns out to go....

 

Yeah but the Majority are economic moron's - Sanctions have yet to even be implemented and the markets are going wild Nickle was up 250% on the London Forex the other day .

Just wait until the real deal hits .. Biden announcing no more oil today - See where the world goes over the next month as sanctions actually take effect .. then let me know..

 

What policy has been instituted by the Biden administration against oil companies, specifically.

While the extremely biased “the Federalist” and Republican financial officers threats of action might be ample evidence for you I would like to read the actual policy.

 

Thank you for the link. We are the party supposedly running on 'kitchen table issues' and inflation's is the certainly the biggest one of those right now. On the other hand, maybe my gut instinct is wrong here.. Wouldn't be the first time!

 

This is is a suicidal move by the West. The economic damage coming our way will far outstrip the pain to Russia. It could make the transition of the world from the American dollar quite rapid. It is highly probable that America has REAL food shortages this fall along with hyper inflation. Our response seems tailored to increase Chinese power and hegemony, I could think of no other reaction that could help China more.

 

Absolutely ....Maybe I'll borrow a truck and drive around the DC beltway with zero purpose while I mull it over?? That can't cost much, right?

BTW, many of the sanctions are certainly implemented at this point.... the returns obviously aren't in yet, but implemented they are...

 

LMAO... based on what do you make that laughable claim? The semi-useful idiot Tuckums

Next you are going to tell me Russell Wilson is going to get traded at some point...

 

See, I feel that the Ukrainians are doing more of the heavy lifting than we are.(i also never subscribed to the cold war. I don't quite think every foreign government needs to be democratic. We just need to maintain good relations with countries that are favorable to us.)

And if the economic costs are too great(and they are), one has to wonder if we're acting rationally.

 

So how will the Biden fan boys explain this jump in gas prices is somehow Trumps fault?

 

pffft... 'explain'? Why bother with explanation when it can merely be proclaimed and repeated ad-nauseum.

 

Well, this import ban is the first real action taken in this conflict that has a chance of causing economic harm to us.... we'll see what happens... If it's minor, Biden looks great. If it's major, it was still supported by many in Congress and a reported majority of Americans, so he looks as dumb as everybody else...

 

Now for my question, how much of our fertilizer comes from Russia? Where are you going to get fertilizer if Russia closes the tap? More importantly, are you going to be able to find replacement fertilizer in time?

https://modernfarmer.com/2022/03/fertilizer-prices/

 

True, no lose from that prospective. My big problem is as usual, if we take the fall the Europeans are unscathed and we 'fought for democracy, the intl system', etc meanwhile our poor get starved out.

 

Ya .. and the partial implementation has wrecked havoc .. just wait until the "Full Power" of the Dark Side is unleashed

Point was a poll of the masses is not going to take squat of "The Dark Side" into account ..

 

So true.

 

Nice... So, edit the results, ignore years where production was higher, and here you are.