Energy Independence

[Marine1974]

[QUOTE=Cuervo;2371839]Increasing interest rate is usually put in place to slow the economy and slow down inflation.

[Two Bills]

I disagree, when the government moves away from energy independence and buys foreign oil, freight costs go up on all items sold . When oil prices jumped from $30 a barrel to $130 a barrel, Russia, Iran , Syria , Saudi Arabia and other bad actors financed their wars and terrorist groups . Meanwhile our government started pumping billions into the military industrial complex.

Were the US oil companies selling it cheaper, or did they cash in to make record profits?
Pity the oil companies don't run the military industrial complex as well, instead of spending the profits on pay rises, bonuses, share dividends etc. all round.
Capitalism has its drawbacks.

[biker1]

Energy independence is a myth. We buy foreign oil because the oil we produce is not appropriate for some uses. Some refineries can’t operate on the light sweet oil we produce in the US, thus we import oil. We also export oil.

I disagree, when the government moves away from energy independence and buys foreign oil, freight costs go up on all items sold . When oil prices jumped from $30 a barrel to $130 a barrel, Russia, Iran , Syria , Saudi Arabia and other bad actors financed their wars and terrorist groups . Meanwhile our government started pumping billions into the military industrial complex.

[Cuervo]

I disagree, when the government moves away from energy independence and buys foreign oil, freight costs go up on all items sold . When oil prices jumped from $30 a barrel to $130 a barrel, Russia, Iran , Syria , Saudi Arabia and other bad actors financed their wars and terrorist groups . Meanwhile our government started pumping billions into the military industrial complex.

The thing is we are producing more oil today than ever before and there will be a slow progression to get away from fossil fuels. That will not be at the expense of being subservient to foreign oil, the target is to replace the fuel we consume with clean replenishable.

As far as these people who say we have to replace gas vehicles to save the planet are fools, what they should be saying is that we have an undeniable history of humans polluting our air, water and soil and we have to stop before this earth is uninhabitable.

As George Carlin pointed out when the earth is tired of us it will just shake us off like flees and the planet will be here long after we're gone.

[MrFlorida]

///

[Pugchief]

Capitalism has its drawbacks.

“The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”
-Sir Winston Churchill

He also said in 1947 “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those others that have been tried.”

You remember him, no? He's one of yours.

The problem is that the US is not capitalist anymore. It is now corporatist. Big difference, but still better than the alternative.

[MorTech]

Energy is the primary input cost to everything that is produced. There is nothing more important than cheap energy to the well-being of humanity. JD Rockefeller and Enrico Fermi should be worshipped (as well as Fritz Haber).

The USA buys heavy sour from Venezuela and Russia to mix with the light sweet shale oil in refineries that have not been modified for light sweet shale oil.

[Two Bills]

“The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”
-Sir Winston Churchill

He also said in 1947 “Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those others that have been tried.”

You remember him, no? He's one of yours.



The problem is that the US is not capitalist anymore. It is now corporatist. Big difference, but still better than the alternative.

I saw Sir Winston when I was young, he was the MP for the area where my aunt lived.

And I remember Maggie Thatcher saying "Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They always run out of other people's money."

(often quoted as ‘the problem with socialism is that eventually you run out of other people's money’)

All systems have their Achilles Heel.

[Stu from NYC]

Capitalism has its warts but no other financial system is better

[MorTech]

With central banking you never run out of other peoples money....A money counterfeiter never goes broke.
Socialism fails when there is nothing left to steal. This is the lesson of the USSR/Weimar Germany...Hyperinflation.

[GizmoWhiskers]

I disagree, when the government moves away from energy independence and buys foreign oil, freight costs go up on all items sold . When oil prices jumped from $30 a barrel to $130 a barrel, Russia, Iran , Syria , Saudi Arabia and other bad actors financed their wars and terrorist groups . Meanwhile our government started pumping billions into the military industrial complex.
Common sense would say use your own resources, produce and sell your own "stuff" including energy, grow your own economy, make your own economy healthy, and have strong education that teaches basic economics and love of country for future successful adults. Seems like independence, love of and investment in your own country with strong borders and a healthy economy based not on borrowing and printing fake $$ would be basic competence to build a successful country.

Don't have to wonder how we lost that competence and are a rapidly failing country - pride & greed. Heads so big a country thinks it's the world's savior and greed so powerful it squashes the human spirit. Everything once believed in freely handed over as a debt to the world. How about a strong country minding and tending to its own business, one that lifts up its own.

Pride comes before a fall and LOVE of $$ the root of all evil. How about the think tank says enough is enough. Let's go back to commen sense.

[La lamy]

“The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries.”[/I]
-Sir Winston Churchill

He also said in 1947 [I]“Democracy is the worst form of government, except for all those others that have been tried.”

You remember him, no? He's one of yours.

The problem is that the US is not capitalist anymore. It is now corporatist. Big difference, but still better than the alternative.

That is a VERY OLD point of view!!!! Look up the top happiest countries in the world. Socialist countries are at the top, USA is #23.

[RoseyRed]

strong country minding and tending to its own business, one that lifts up its own!!! AMEN!

[Rocksnap]

That is a VERY OLD point of view!!!! Look up the top happiest countries in the world. Socialist countries are at the top, USA is #23.

I don’t think they are happy in Cuba right now. Would be nice to just have some clean running water.
Many news articles about the Chinese people very unhappy. Venezuela same thing.
I guess you mean what we are being told here. You will own nothing and be happy.
I for one will stick with Capitalism over Socialism, any day of the week. After actually having visited many socialist countries over the years, socialist countries are pretty depressing.
Not to mention, in socialist countries, the 1% ruling class lives in splendor, while the 99% live in squalor. No thanks! I’d rather live & die a poor free man.

[RICH1]

The Keystone Pipeline was built to EXPORT Oil...

[waterflower]

How about we go back to water powered engines,G.H. Garrett, Stanley Myers. Just to name a few. Wireless electrical engines (ether). Nikola Tesla. The amazing technology that has been buried-literally. Research. Google is not your friend humans.

[dewilson58]

That is a VERY OLD point of view!!!! Look up the top happiest countries in the world. Socialist countries are at the top, USA is #23.

The top countries are not socialist...............the are or have moved away from socialism.

[Buzman]

The Keystone Pipeline was built to EXPORT Oil...
The Keystone Pipeline was built to transport Canadian oil to Illinois refineries. Look it up.

[Bill14564]

The Keystone Pipeline was built to transport Canadian oil to Illinois refineries. Look it up.

For the first two phases, yes. Then it was expanded to transport the oil to the Gulf of Mexico.

I looked it up in Wikipedia which pointed me to this article (https://listen.sdpb.org/environment/2022-03-17/canceled-keystone-xl-pipeline-project-has-final-hearing-in-south-dakota) which includes:

The KXL Pipeline would have carried Canadian tar sands oil through Montana, nine South Dakota counties, and Nebraska before connecting to the existing Keystone Pipeline, which ends at the Gulf of Mexico.

and

Energy experts say most of the crude would have been processed at American refineries along the Gulf Coast. But there’s debate over whether most of the final product would have been sold in the U.S. or to overseas markets.

So it looks like the Canadian oil would have gone to refineries in the Gulf and likely would have been exported.

[airstreamingypsy]

The top countries are not socialist...............the are or have moved away from socialism.

They are democratic socialist........

[CoachKandSportsguy]

there is capitalism, corporatism, and socialism

there is autocracy and democracy

please don't confuse the -isms with the -ocracies. .

the suffix moderator. .

[MandoMan]

I disagree, when the government moves away from energy independence and buys foreign oil, freight costs go up on all items sold . When oil prices jumped from $30 a barrel to $130 a barrel, Russia, Iran , Syria , Saudi Arabia and other bad actors financed their wars and terrorist groups . Meanwhile our government started pumping billions into the military industrial complex.

Brent Crude petroleum is at this moment selling for $74.49 per barrel. Not $130. $30 a barrel was an aberration, and when it occurred, President Trump sent an emissary to the Saudis to plead with them to pump out less petroleum so the price would go up because the U.S. was closing down wells because the price was too low. Had you forgotten that?

Here’s what was published in Forbes (a very conservative business source on July 1, 2024:
“Establishing Consistent Terminology
“It’s important to understand that the following two statements are each true under a consistent definition of energy independence.
“If the U.S. is not energy independent under Joe Biden, then it was never energy independent under Donald Trump.
“If the U.S. was energy independent under Donald Trump, then energy independence has grown to record levels under Joe Biden.
“ Under no scenario did the U.S. become energy independent under Trump and lose it under Biden.
“ I don’t find this definition very useful, due to the globalized nature of energy markets. The U.S. imports some energy to convert it into products for export. We began importing crude oil in the U.S. before 1950, and we have imported it every year since.
“ Under this definition, the U.S. hasn’t been energy independent in at least 75 years. This definition highlights how interdependent global energy supplies are, emphasizing that this sort of energy independence is neither necessary nor economically desirable.
“ Thus, the notion, “President Trump made us energy independent”, is not true under the Zero Imports Definition. During President Trump’s term, the U.S. imported an average of 9.3 million barrels per day (bpd) of crude oil and finished products. By the Zero Imports Definition, Statement 1 above holds: We weren’t energy independent under Trump or Biden.
The Energy Surplus Definition is more useful in my view. That defines energy independence as producing more energy than we consume. Based on that definition, even if we import some energy, the fact that we produce more than enough to satisfy our needs would mean the U.S. is energy independent.

“The Energy Surplus Definition is what Trump is using when he said we became energy independent while he was in office. If we consider this definition, in 2019 the U.S. had an energy surplus for the first time since at least the 1940s. This can be seen in the following graphic when the production line barely exceeds the consumption line for the first time in 2019.
“ The Energy Surplus Definition is more useful in my view. That defines energy independence as producing more energy than we consume. Based on that definition, even if we import some energy, the fact that we produce more than enough to satisfy our needs would mean the U.S. is energy independent.
“ Net U.S. energy imports hit a record high in 2005, but since then have steadily declined due to the surge of oil and gas production released by the shale boom. In 2019, net U.S. energy imports became net exports, and that is the measure by which many — including Donald Trump — declared energy independence.
“However, we didn’t lose this status under Joe Biden. To the contrary, U.S. oil and gas production continued to grow, as shown in the next graphic. In 2022 the net energy surplus reached 5.94 quadrillion BTUs (quads), which was the highest level in at least 70 years.”

Don’t imagine that Energy Independence means we don’t bring in petroleum from elsewhere. What happens is a bit like this: we have LOTS of M&Ms, but we have more brown ones than we need and not enough red and yellow ones, so we import red and yellow ones and export brown ones. What happened under both Trump and Biden (though neither should be taking the credit, as it doesn’t have much to do with them) is that the U.S. is exporting more M&Ms than it is importing.

If you want to know the truth, don’t turn to campaign ads from either side.
U.S. Energy Independence Set New Record In 2023 (https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2024/07/01/us-energy-independence-set-new-record-in-2023/)

[dewilson58]

They are democratic socialist........

Yep, quite different than LL's statement of "Socialist countries are at the top".

:mornincoffee:

[Cuervo]

That is a VERY OLD point of view!!!! Look up the top happiest countries in the world. Socialist countries are at the top, USA is #23.

I agree to a point, but to maintain a Socialist country the citizens of that country have to keep a watchful eye. You see Socialism and Dictatorship are not that far apart. Sweden which many people look at as a Socialist country is a combination of Socialism and Capitalism. On the other hand, China and Cuba are considered complete Socialist.
The question is what type of government you want to live under the Swedish or the U.S. and no matter which you have to participate to make sure your freedom stays in place.

[opinionist]

Our current financial system allows us to use printed money to buy foreign oil.
BRICS is leading the way to trade tangible goods and take power away from financial manipulators.
Our manufacturing was moved out of the country and the dollar will no longer be the reserve currency.
Our financial system is coming to an end and we will be forced to join the BRICS system.

[JMintzer]

That is a VERY OLD point of view!!!! Look up the top happiest countries in the world. Socialist countries are at the top, USA is #23.

What are these "Socialist" countries that are so happy?

Methinks they are not actually socialist, at all...

[Moderator]

Reminder:

It is intolerable to make any derogatory comments about any person based on religion, race, age, gender, etc.

Please remember this is a large community with many members from all parts of the world, representing all people.

Please refrain from posting messages that contain potential hot topics known as polarizing arguments.

A tone of “kindness” is appreciated for all discussions.

[jimjamuser]

That is a VERY OLD point of view!!!! Look up the top happiest countries in the world. Socialist countries are at the top, USA is #23.
That is a good post! Americans live under the illusion that we are the best at EVERYTHING. So we do NOT try to learn anything from other counties. Just as an example, the US is the only major country that does NOT have socialized medicine. Actually, the V. A. could be expanded to include all people and that would give us National Healthcare like ALL the other major countries. Medical insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies are set up to make EXCESSIVE profits.
......The bottom line is that we should look at other countries and be willing to LEARN from them.

[jimjamuser]

I don’t think they are happy in Cuba right now. Would be nice to just have some clean running water.
Many news articles about the Chinese people very unhappy. Venezuela same thing.
I guess you mean what we are being told here. You will own nothing and be happy.
I for one will stick with Capitalism over Socialism, any day of the week. After actually having visited many socialist countries over the years, socialist countries are pretty depressing.
Not to mention, in socialist countries, the 1% ruling class lives in splendor, while the 99% live in squalor. No thanks! I’d rather live & die a poor free man.
Instead of picking the WORST of socialistic countries which have a multitude of problems that can't be solved by ANY type of government. Instead, look to Sweden and Finland for the benefits of socialism. The problem is that in the US, the word socialism has taken on such a negative meaning. It becomes connected with communism, which then equates to enemies that the US has fought wars with.

[jimjamuser]

there is capitalism, corporatism, and socialism

there is autocracy and democracy

please don't confuse the -isms with the -ocracies. .

the suffix moderator. .
I prefer the term Dictatorship to autocracy. Autocracy sounds too tame. Not frightening enough like Dictatorship.

[mntlblok]

[I]

You remember him, no? He's one of yours.



Lady Randolph Churchill - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lady_Randolph_Churchill#:~:text=Jeanette%20%22Jenn ie%22%20Spencer%2DChurchill,British%20prime%20mini ster%20Winston%20Churchill).

[Stu from NYC]

Instead of picking the WORST of socialistic countries which have a multitude of problems that can't be solved by ANY type of government. Instead, look to Sweden and Finland for the benefits of socialism. The problem is that in the US, the word socialism has taken on such a negative meaning. It becomes connected with communism, which then equates to enemies that the US has fought wars with.

So what happened with England when the govt owned much of the economy.

Not so good and as a result the govt made the economy capitalistic again

[dewilson58]

I Instead, look to Sweden and Finland for the benefits of socialism. .

Not Socialism countries.

[Topspinmo]

The thing is we are producing more oil today than ever before and there will be a slow progression to get away from fossil fuels. That will not be at the expense of being subservient to foreign oil, the target is to replace the fuel we consume with clean replenishable.

As far as these people who say we have to replace gas vehicles to save the planet are fools, what they should be saying is that we have an undeniable history of humans polluting our air, water and soil and we have to stop before this earth is uninhabitable.

As George Carlin pointed out when the earth is tired of us it will just shake us off like flees and the planet will be here long after we're gone.

Funny how oil companies make more money when crud oil sky high. Now who what causes oil to go sky high? Oil companies like it when crud oil goes way up. They make more money on gallon of gas than federal state governments.

As far as George Carlin he had no idea like rest of us. He just made money off jokes like all comedians.

[Topspinmo]

Are there any countries that are 100% Capitalist or 100% Socialist? While they have aspects of both, just like us, they seem to have more social programs than we do. Maybe that's why they are happier.

I sure the majority of population happy with gun to here heads :a040:

[Bill14564]

I sure the majority of population happy with gun to here heads :a040:

Please see post #21

[dewilson58]

Are there any countries that are 100% Capitalist or 100% Socialist? While they have aspects of both, just like us, they seem to have more social programs than we do. Maybe that's why they are happier.

Yep, free lunches.

[JMintzer]

Instead of picking the WORST of socialistic countries which have a multitude of problems that can't be solved by ANY type of government. Instead, look to Sweden and Finland for the benefits of socialism. The problem is that in the US, the word socialism has taken on such a negative meaning. It becomes connected with communism, which then equates to enemies that the US has fought wars with.

Neither of those countries are "socialist"...

They are also at the top of the list for the consumption of "anti-depressants"...

what country consumes highest amount of antidepressants - Google Search (https://www.google.com/search?q=what+country+consumes+highest+amount+of+a ntidepressants&oq=what+country+consumes+highest+amount+of+anti&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgBECEYoAEyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQIR igATIHCAIQIRigATIHCAMQIRigATIHCAQQIRigATIHCAUQIRig ATIHCAYQIRifBTIHCAcQIRifBdIBCTE2NjkzajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)

Here is our list of the 20 countries with most antidepressant users in the world.
Norway. ...
Finland. ...
Italy. ...
Sweden. ...
Austria. Annual Sales Per Capita (2020): $9.70. ...
Luxembourg. Annual Sales Per Capita (2021): $9.70. ...
Germany. Annual Sales Per Capita (2020): $9.80. ...
Ireland. Annual Sales Per Capita (2020): $10.90.

Maybe that is why they are so "happy"...

[JMintzer]

Funny how oil companies make more money when crud oil sky high. Now who what causes oil to go sky high? Oil companies like it when crud oil goes way up. They make more money on gallon of gas than federal state governments.

As far as George Carlin he had no idea like rest of us. He just made money off jokes like all comedians.

"Exxon's “downstream” earnings — the money it makes selling gasoline and other refined petroleum products — run about 7 or 8 cents a gallon"...

how much do oil companies make on a gallon of gas - Google Search (https://www.google.com/search?q=how+much+do+oil+companies+make+on+a+gallo n+of+gas&oq=how+much+do+oil+companies+m&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqBwgCEAAYgAQyBggAEEUYOTIHCAEQAB iABDIHCAIQABiABDIHCAMQABiABDIHCAQQABiABDIHCAUQABiA BDIHCAYQABiABDIICAcQABgWGB4yCAgIEAAYFhgeMggICRAAGB YYHtIBCjE1NzYxajBqMTWoAgiwAgE&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)

Government taxes are 3-5 Xs that amount...

Gas Taxes and What You Need to Know (https://www.investopedia.com/gas-taxes-and-what-you-need-to-know-5118477)

[fdpaq0580]

With central banking you never run out of other peoples money....A money counterfeiter never goes broke.
Socialism fails when there is nothing left to steal. This is the lesson of the USSR/Weimar Germany...Hyperinflation.

USSR. A dictatorship that was socialist in name only. We called them "commies" (communists), but communism and socialism are not the same thing.

[ithos]

Energy is the primary input cost to everything that is produced. There is nothing more important than cheap energy to the well-being of humanity. JD Rockefeller and Enrico Fermi should be worshipped (as well as Fritz Haber).

The USA buys heavy sour from Venezuela and Russia to mix with the light sweet shale oil in refineries that have not been modified for light sweet shale oil.

Standard Oil was a monopoly that had to be broken up by SCOTUS.

Fermi and more: Einstein , Curie, Rutherford, Planck, Niels Bohr, Roentgen

The Holy Grail will be fusion.

Too bad they didn't name a sub atomic particle or an isotope after Rutherford. Too many syllables I guess.
_

[mntlblok]

Too bad they didn't name a sub atomic particle or an isotope after Rutherford. Too many syllables I guess.
_
Looks like they *did* let him name the proton. :-)

[Rocksnap]

That is a good post! Americans live under the illusion that we are the best at EVERYTHING. So we do NOT try to learn anything from other counties. Just as an example, the US is the only major country that does NOT have socialized medicine. Actually, the V. A. could be expanded to include all people and that would give us National Healthcare like ALL the other major countries. Medical insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies are set up to make EXCESSIVE profits.
......The bottom line is that we should look at other countries and be willing to LEARN from them.
Canada & England both have socialist medicine. Neither is cracked up to what it’s supposed to be. Says many who needed care in those countries.
South Korea, on the other hand, does quite well. They don’t have socialist healthcare, but it’s cheap and good, for the most part.
Case in point. My daughter is a freelance graphic design artist. Makes great money, but no benefits.
It was cheaper for her to visit there for a few months to receive a some needed care, than it was for her here to pay out of pocket just for the care she needed. Now that’s crazy.

[Cuervo]

Funny how oil companies make more money when crud oil sky high. Now who what causes oil to go sky high? Oil companies like it when crud oil goes way up. They make more money on gallon of gas than federal state governments.

As far as George Carlin he had no idea like rest of us. He just made money off jokes like all comedians.

I'm not totally sure what your point is, if it's that we live in a capitalist society where all mighty dollar rules I agree. As far as George Carlin making money off his jokes, that was the business he was in. I'm sure there were days you did not want to go to work but you did so to earn money.
The problem with living in a capitalist society is when money is the main goal greed creeps in and takes precedence over country, people, even self-preservation.
What Carlin's joke pointed out was that many who continue saying we have to save the planet are misguided, that the planet will survive long after we are gone. What these people should be saying instead is we should be taking measure to save ourselves.
If you were fortunate enough to watch 60 minutes last night, it focused in on how corporations relish on inflation and how mergers stifle the competition which gives them control over market prices.
There has to be a better way, and we better find it soon, if not for ourselves at least for our off springs.

[bogmonster]

A friend of mine was from Argentina and always bragged about their free healthcare. On one of her trips, she broke her arm and they fixed it for free. At that point she would hold up her arm. It was so crooked it looked like a hockey stick. I guess you get what you pay for!

[Andyb]

[QUOTE=Cuervo;2371839]Increasing interest rate is usually put in place to slow the economy and slow down inflation.
You bring down oil prices, everything, I mean everything will come down too, including inflation. Drill baby, drill. This not an opinion, but fact.

[Bill14564]

You bring down oil prices, everything, I mean everything will come down too, including inflation. Drill baby, drill. This not an opinion, but fact.

It must be one of those alternative facts that don't have any basis in reality.

UNLESS, what you predict (desire??) is a collapse of the economy and a recession/depression. Even then, I doubt that attempting to tank global oil prices would be enough to cause that.

[Cuervo]

[QUOTE=Marine1974;2372272]
You bring down oil prices, everything, I mean everything will come down too, including inflation. Drill baby, drill. This not an opinion, but fact.

You do understand we are drilling more than ever before.
Oil is not the only solution, by bringing alternative energy sources to the market will not only bring prices down at the pump, but also increase our independence.

[jimjamuser]

[QUOTE=Andyb;2372750]

You do understand we are drilling more than ever before.
Oil is not the only solution, by bringing alternative energy sources to the market will not only bring prices down at the pump, but also increase our independence.
I agree with the last sentence. And using alternative energy sources ALSO would decrease global warming, which is the #1 problem for humanity RIGHT NOW. Interestingly, it is not talked about too much. Strange that a problem that BIG is ignored.

[jimjamuser]

Canada & England both have socialist medicine. Neither is cracked up to what it’s supposed to be. Says many who needed care in those countries.
South Korea, on the other hand, does quite well. They don’t have socialist healthcare, but it’s cheap and good, for the most part.
Case in point. My daughter is a freelance graphic design artist. Makes great money, but no benefits.
It was cheaper for her to visit there for a few months to receive a some needed care, than it was for her here to pay out of pocket just for the care she needed. Now that’s crazy.
Every Canadian that I ever talked to LOVED their healthcare. They worry about getting sick and having to go to a US hospital. The US ranks LAST compared to 9 other top countries for HEALTHCARE. Australia is #1.

[jimjamuser]

I'm not totally sure what your point is, if it's that we live in a capitalist society where all mighty dollar rules I agree. As far as George Carlin making money off his jokes, that was the business he was in. I'm sure there were days you did not want to go to work but you did so to earn money.
The problem with living in a capitalist society is when money is the main goal greed creeps in and takes precedence over country, people, even self-preservation.
What Carlin's joke pointed out was that many who continue saying we have to save the planet are misguided, that the planet will survive long after we are gone. What these people should be saying instead is we should be taking measure to save ourselves.
If you were fortunate enough to watch 60 minutes last night, it focused in on how corporations relish on inflation and how mergers stifle the competition which gives them control over market prices.
There has to be a better way, and we better find it soon, if not for ourselves at least for our off springs.
Corporate mergers are a way that companies get around CAPITALISTIC principles. They are "socializing" their way to more PROFITS. Why, in America, is socialism bad for the common man, but GOOD for the GIANT Corporations?

[jimjamuser]

A friend of mine was from Argentina and always bragged about their free healthcare. On one of her trips, she broke her arm and they fixed it for free. At that point she would hold up her arm. It was so crooked it looked like a hockey stick. I guess you get what you pay for!
That is an example of ONE or, in statistics, an N of 1. Perhaps there were reasons why her arm could NOT be returned to perfection. When I broke something on my body, it never got back to perfect. ANYWAY, there are global comparisons for HEALTHCARE. The US is LAST out of 9 major nations. That is EASY to look up. There is a word for the concept of thinking that YOUR particular country is the ABSOLUTE BEST......I believe it is ethnocentric.

[jimjamuser]

I agree to a point, but to maintain a Socialist country the citizens of that country have to keep a watchful eye. You see Socialism and Dictatorship are not that far apart. Sweden which many people look at as a Socialist country is a combination of Socialism and Capitalism. On the other hand, China and Cuba are considered complete Socialist.
The question is what type of government you want to live under the Swedish or the U.S. and no matter which you have to participate to make sure your freedom stays in place.
The US is a FINE country! But it would NOT hurt us to look to countries like Sweden and Australia for BETTER solutions to SOME of our problems. Like the fact that Australia has the best health care system in the world, they are #1. The US is LAST at #10 among top countries. Many countries have MORE than 2 parties. I wonder how Australia's income tax brackets compare to ours? I wonder which taxpayer level or levels Australia emphasizes?

[bumpa]

The Keystone Pipeline was built to EXPORT Oil...

Canadian Oil. Heavy, dirty Shale oil that the US can not use. It's for export only.

[jimjamuser]

And today the FED is SATISFIED that inflation is under CONTROL. So they can REDUCE the prime interest rate by 1/2 of a percent. That will take time to ripple through the economy, but should begin to bring prices for goods down. I believe that their ULTIMATE goal is to be at 2% which must be some "sweet spot" for interest. I am NOT sure how that ideal 2 % has been determined. Maybe someone here on TOTV knows that answer?

[dewilson58]

And today the FED is SATISFIED that inflation is under CONTROL. So they can REDUCE the prime interest rate by 1/2 of a percent. That will take time to ripple through the economy, but should begin to bring prices for goods down. I believe that their ULTIMATE goal is to be at 2% which must be some "sweet spot" for interest. I am NOT sure how that ideal 2 % has been determined. Maybe someone here on TOTV knows that answer?

The intent is NOT to bring prices down.
The intent is NOT deflation.

[dewilson58]

A friend of mine was from Argentina and always bragged about their free healthcare. On one of her trips, she broke her arm and they fixed it for free. At that point she would hold up her arm. It was so crooked it looked like a hockey stick. I guess you get what you pay for!

it ain't free

[Pugchief]

Neither of those countries are "socialist"...

They are also at the top of the list for the consumption of "anti-depressants"...


Maybe that is why they are so "happy"...

Nah, some people just get JOY from paying sky-high tax rates!

Ah, yes, JOY.

[Pugchief]

Canada & England both have socialist medicine. Neither is cracked up to what it’s supposed to be. Says many who needed care in those countries.
South Korea, on the other hand, does quite well. They don’t have socialist healthcare, but it’s cheap and good, for the most part.
Case in point. My daughter is a freelance graphic design artist. Makes great money, but no benefits.
It was cheaper for her to visit there for a few months to receive a some needed care, than it was for her here to pay out of pocket just for the care she needed. Now that’s crazy.

The reason healthcare is so expensive here is because of REGULATIONS.

[Pugchief]

It must be one of those alternative facts that don't have any basis in reality.

UNLESS, what you predict (desire??) is a collapse of the economy and a recession/depression. Even then, I doubt that attempting to tank global oil prices would be enough to cause that.

Huh? Do you deny that supply chain prices are dependent on the cost of energy? And since most of that is currently using fossil fuels, creating cheaper oil by more production would lead to lower prices on virtually everything.

Doesn't seem like "alternative facts"....

[Bill14564]

Huh? Do you deny that supply chain prices are dependent on the cost of energy? And since most of that is currently using fossil fuels, creating cheaper oil by more production would lead to lower prices on virtually everything.

Doesn't seem like "alternative facts"....

The post went a lot further than saying supply chain costs are included in prices.

Fuel costs went down significantly a few years ago but I don’t recall the prices of virtually everything decreasing. In fact, while inflation slowed it did not turn negative.

[MorTech]

Standard Oil was a monopoly that had to be broken up by SCOTUS.

Fermi and more: Einstein , Curie, Rutherford, Planck, Niels Bohr, Roentgen

The Holy Grail will be fusion.

Too bad they didn't name a sub atomic particle or an isotope after Rutherford. Too many syllables I guess.
_

Standard Oil was not a monopoly since anyone could enter the oil market...There were no restrictions to entry. They had the largest market share since they were the most competitive producer. We know this because after the breakup of Standard oil, prices for oil products increased nearly 10X over a short period of time and Rockefeller got even richer since his assets became even more valuable. All of humanity suffered because of that breakup.

...And also Ian Fleming...cant believe I forgot about him.

Enrico Fermi was primarily responsible for the first nuclear reactor...Leo Szilard was key as well.

[Aces4]

Every Canadian that I ever talked to LOVED their healthcare. They worry about getting sick and having to go to a US hospital. The US ranks LAST compared to 9 other top countries for HEALTHCARE. Australia is #1.

So I take it one has not heard about the fiasco in health care in England? I don't think the USA is last anymore.:shocked:

[Aces4]

That is a good post! Americans live under the illusion that we are the best at EVERYTHING. So we do NOT try to learn anything from other counties. Just as an example, the US is the only major country that does NOT have socialized medicine. Actually, the V. A. could be expanded to include all people and that would give us National Healthcare like ALL the other major countries. Medical insurance companies and pharmaceutical companies are set up to make EXCESSIVE profits.
......The bottom line is that we should look at other countries and be willing to LEARN from them.

And yet people want to live here, go figure!

[Aces4]

Every Canadian that I ever talked to LOVED their healthcare. They worry about getting sick and having to go to a US hospital. The US ranks LAST compared to 9 other top countries for HEALTHCARE. Australia is #1.

They feared going to a USA hospital because their "wonderful Canadian healthcare" won't cover the bills.:ohdear: The older you get, the more expensive your cost for healthcare if you leave Canada seasonally.

[Pugchief]

I guess those Canadians "love" waiting 39 weeks to see the orthopedic surgeon.
Waiting Your Turn: Wait Times for Health Care in Canada, 2019 Report | Fraser Institute (https://www.fraserinstitute.org/studies/waiting-your-turn-wait-times-for-health-care-in-canada-2019)
Imagine the complaining on TOTV if that was the case here. LOL

[Aces4]

[QUOTE=Cuervo;2372846]
I agree with the last sentence. And using alternative energy sources ALSO would decrease global warming, which is the #1 problem for humanity RIGHT NOW. Interestingly, it is not talked about too much. Strange that a problem that BIG is ignored.

If one believes global warming is the #1 problem for humanity right now, they aren't paying attention to what is happening in the world. Let's start with AI which can take humanity out rather quickly..

[Aces4]

The reason healthcare is so expensive here is because of REGULATIONS.

Regulations don't help but the biggest reason is the profits that are required to feed the stock market. What a gig!:MOJE_whot:

[jimjamuser]

Huh? Do you deny that supply chain prices are dependent on the cost of energy? And since most of that is currently using fossil fuels, creating cheaper oil by more production would lead to lower prices on virtually everything.

Doesn't seem like "alternative facts"....
The price of oil depends on the WORLDWIDE market. The US by itself does NOT control the price. More worldwide production would be a factor toward lower prices for most goods.

[jimjamuser]

And yet people want to live here, go figure!
For a poor person in Venezuela, it is easier to walk to the US than it is to SWIM to Australia or Sweden. That's the main reason that they are coming here. Also, the US is lax compared to other countries about deporting the undocumented.

[jimjamuser]

They feared going to a USA hospital because their "wonderful Canadian healthcare" won't cover the bills.:ohdear: The older you get, the more expensive your cost for healthcare if you leave Canada seasonally.
That is very LOGICAL from Canada's point of view. They are aware that US healthcare is mediocre, yet expensive.

[jimjamuser]

[QUOTE=jimjamuser;2372849]

If one believes global warming is the #1 problem for humanity right now, they aren't paying attention to what is happening in the world. Let's start with AI which can take humanity out rather quickly..
AI uses a lot of electricity. It may or may not be worth it. I am NOT so knowledgeable about AI to have a good opinion.

[Pugchief]

AI uses a lot of electricity. It may or may not be worth it. I am NOT so knowledgeable about AI to have a good opinion.

///

[Pugchief]

The price of oil depends on the WORLDWIDE market. The US by itself does NOT control the price. More worldwide production would be a factor toward lower prices for most goods.

Correct, correct and correct.
Not sure what your point is; you were commenting on my assertion that more drilling for oil would reduce supply chain costs, leading to lower prices for most goods. Which apparently you agree with.

[Aces4]

For a poor person in Venezuela, it is easier to walk to the US than it is to SWIM to Australia or Sweden. That's the main reason that they are coming here. Also, the US is lax compared to other countries about deporting the undocumented.

I was talking about people in all nations. I know why a Venezuelan is walking in.:ohdear:

[Aces4]

[QUOTE=Aces4;2372920]
AI uses a lot of electricity. It may or may not be worth it. I am NOT so knowledgeable about AI to have a good opinion.

Might be wise to tune in. A couple of experts who work in the field said control as to how it can be used has to be taken now. It can get pretty ugly quickly if controls aren't in place and even that may be impossible.

[Aces4]

That is very LOGICAL from Canada's point of view. They are aware that US healthcare is mediocre, yet expensive.

That's a myth. There are plenty of Canadians who would like to seek treatment here but are forbidden or charged horrendous prices if service is in the states. Florida may have mediocre healthcare but not the rest of the US.

[jimjamuser]

Correct, correct and correct.
Not sure what your point is; you were commenting on my assertion that more drilling for oil would reduce supply chain costs, leading to lower prices for most goods. Which apparently you agree with.
It's simple. More drilling for oil worldwide would likely drop the oil price, which would ripple through and lower the price of goods. BUT, more drilling by the US would NOT have that big of a drop in oil price. And there are many, many other factors to consider. The US people want clean air and clean water (unlike other dictator controlled countries that would make their people suffer bad air and etc). US oil left in the ground is like a bank account for when oil runs out - an account to use oil for medicine rather than using it to pollute US air and water. The US would be able to exert more CONTROL over oil prices by doing what California is doing. That is, moving more quickly to E-vehicles and having FEWER oil and gas engine vehicles. Note: E-vehicles use less parts and ZERO up and down piston action.

[jimjamuser]

[QUOTE=jimjamuser;2372932]

Might be wise to tune in. A couple of experts who work in the field said control as to how it can be used has to be taken now. It can get pretty ugly quickly if controls aren't in place and even that may be impossible.
I can agree with that.

[jimjamuser]

That's a myth. There are plenty of Canadians who would like to seek treatment here but are forbidden or charged horrendous prices if service is in the states. Florida may have mediocre healthcare but not the rest of the US.
The US has great medical knowledge at the University level and great research done by private companies. And if you are a millionaire you get great state of the art treatments. But, if you are a poor or average wealth American - you are out of luck. The US is last in health care out of the 10 top industrialized nations. That is the proof of my 1st three sentences.

[tophcfa]

The price of oil depends on the WORLDWIDE market. The US by itself does NOT control the price.

So it’s just a bizarre coincidence in timing that gas recently went below $3 per gallon despite the intense conflict currently happening in the Middle East?

[jimjamuser]

Energy is the primary input cost to everything that is produced. There is nothing more important than cheap energy to the well-being of humanity. JD Rockefeller and Enrico Fermi should be worshipped (as well as Fritz Haber).

The USA buys heavy sour from Venezuela and Russia to mix with the light sweet shale oil in refineries that have not been modified for light sweet shale oil.
Solar energy is cheap and will be available LONG AFTER oil is used up. Same for nuclear energy.

[tophcfa]

Solar energy is cheap and will be available LONG AFTER oil is used up. Same for nuclear energy.

If it was cheap (and reliable) we would all be using it.

[jimjamuser]

So it’s just a bizarre coincidence in timing that gas recently went below $3 per gallon despite the intense conflict currently happening in the Middle East?
I believe that one factor is that people in the US are driving less. Possibly due to an aging population? Lots of young people living in cities do not even OWN cars. They take public transportation everywhere. A likely FUTURE would be nuclear energy plants producing electricity and most vehicles being E-vehicles. Then a gallon of gas might sell for 50 cents because no one uses gas that much.

[jimjamuser]

If it was cheap (and reliable) we would all be using it.
I was talking in the foreseeable FUTURE.

[Pugchief]

I believe that one factor is that people in the US are driving less.

Do you have a link to data supporting that statement?

It's not plausible that the price of gas dropped bc people SUDDENLY started driving less. Even if true, which is unlikely, that would only affect the long term price of gas, not short term swings.

[jimjamuser]

Do you have a link to data supporting that statement?

It's not plausible that the price of gas dropped bc people SUDDENLY started driving less. Even if true, which is unlikely, that would only affect the long term price of gas, not short term swings.
All I had to do was go to Google and put in "are people driving less in the US?" The answer was a resounding .......YES and there were various reasons behind the drop. One was young people do not drive as much.

[MorTech]

That is a VERY OLD point of view!!!! Look up the top happiest countries in the world. Socialist countries are at the top, USA is #23.

No they are not.

the 4 political taxing entities that claim to own us (Fed/State/County/Municipal) steal 75% of our earnings using taxes and inflation...and you think the USA is Capitalist?

[Bill14564]

No they are not.

the 4 political taxing entities that claim to own us (Fed/State/County/Municipal) steal 75% of our earnings using taxes and inflation...and you think the USA is Capitalist?

I'd sure like to see the math for that 75% claim.

[MorTech]

Add it yourself...Don't forget "fees" and mandated insurance and other taxes an employer is forced to pay on your behalf. Productivity gains are stolen by inflation plus 2% which is at least 5%.

[dewilson58]

I'd sure like to see the math for that 75% claim.

What's sad is, it wouldn't be too hard to get there with a couple million bucks.

37% Fed
13% Calif
20% inflation (what we jus went thru)
Then throw on RE Taxes, Gas Taxes, Sales Taxes.

Ouch.

[MorTech]

Ya'll gotta stop watching television and try to think for yourselves, LOL.

[MorTech]

Fusion energy would be the end game but I have my doubts it will be commercialized. Creating a sun on earth? You would need to contain 150M degree F plasma in nothingness. Yeah...

[Bill14564]

Add it yourself...Don't forget "fees" and mandated insurance and other taxes an employer is forced to pay on your behalf. Productivity gains are stolen by inflation plus 2% which is at least 5%.

Let's see:
Fed income tax: 15% (effective rate)
FICA tax: 0% (7.6% if employed, 0% if retired)
State income tax: 0%
State Sales tax: 6%
County Sales tax: 1%
Property tax: 1% (effective rate)
School tax: 1% (effective rate)
Total taxes I pay: 24%

But even then, I get something in return for most of those taxes so I can't really call it stealing. The only clear exception is the school tax, I don't get any products or services in return for that money.

Mandated insurance? If I pay for a product or service I don't consider that a tax.

Inflation? 1. Many of my sources of income increase along with inflation making it a net zero; 2. Inflation is the increase in the cost of a product or service that I pay for so I don't consider that a tax; and, 3. At worst, inflation increases profits which is absolutely a goal of capitalism.

Taxes an employer is forced to pay on my behalf? Might have had some meaning when I was employed but even then, what the employer paid did not come out of *my* pocket (and no, it would NOT have gone into my pocket otherwise)

[MorTech]

Solar energy is cheap and will be available LONG AFTER oil is used up. Same for nuclear energy.

Solar energy is not cheap...Oil will never be used up because it is constantly being created in the earth at volumes we could never use up. Nuclear energy is cheap, clean and safe but it is vertually illegal to build nuclear reactors due to government regulations. China is building 500 SMR/LMR reactors at a cost of about $1B each. China now has their own designed reactors and don't rely on USA or France.

[Bill14564]

Solar energy is not cheap...Oil will never be used up because it is constantly being created in the earth at volumes we could never use up. Nuclear energy is cheap, clean and safe but it is vertually illegal to build nuclear reactors due to government regulations. China is building 500 SMR/LMR reactors at a cost of about $1B each.

I sure would like to see the science/chemistry behind *that*!!

[MorTech]

The money your employer pays on your behalf comes out of your wages. It is money the employer can't pay you because they are forced by law to give it to the government. Where else would it come from?

[Bill14564]

The money your employer pays on your behalf comes out of your wages. It is money the employer can't pay you because they are forced by law to give it to the government. Where else would it come from?

haha! You believe if your employer did not have to pay those taxes they would put it into *your* pocket? How cute!

[MorTech]

haha! You believe if your employer did not have to pay those taxes they would put it into *your* pocket? How cute!

How cute! They don't have a choice! Do you understand?

[jimjamuser]

Solar energy is not cheap...Oil will never be used up because it is constantly being created in the earth at volumes we could never use up. Nuclear energy is cheap, clean and safe but it is vertually illegal to build nuclear reactors due to government regulations. China is building 500 SMR/LMR reactors at a cost of about $1B each. China now has their own designed reactors and don't rely on USA or France.
I will buy the last 2 sentences, but NOT that oil will NEVER be used up "because it is constantly being created in the Earth". I have NEVER heard of that. That boggles my little brain.

[MorTech]

The Canadian system won't even treat you if you have a major medical problem after the age of 49. If you seek medical treatment outside their system, they will throw you in jail. That's why Canadians escape to the USA for treatment. The Buffalo hospital parking lots are stuffed with Canadian tags. It''s Utopia! The Canadian medical system will now offer to kill you...no long appointment wait necessary...And they will kill you for free!

[jimjamuser]

The money your employer pays on your behalf comes out of your wages. It is money the employer can't pay you because they are forced by law to give it to the government. Where else would it come from?
And an organization as large as a Government is NEEDED to do things like create an army and national defense and have a space program. Without government we would have moved BACK to the stone age.

[MorTech]

I will buy the last 2 sentences, but NOT that oil will NEVER be used up "because it is constantly being created in the Earth". I have NEVER heard of that. That boggles my little brain.

You never heard of that because you get your information from the idiot box. Hydrocarbons are created in the earth...Hydrocarbons are literally liquid sunshine. How do you think they got there in the first place? God?

[Bill14564]

The money your employer pays on your behalf comes out of your wages. It is money the employer can't pay you because they are forced by law to give it to the government. Where else would it come from?

How cute! They don't have a choice! Do you understand?

Oh wait, are you talking about FICA taxes? Yeah, I forgot about that 7.6% and will see how it fits into my math above. Sure, if the employer was not required to withhold those then they would be returned to your salary. But ultimately they would still need to be paid. A self-employed person has no income tax withheld by an employer but it still needs to be paid. If the FICA tax was in my wages I would still be required to pay it later.

I thought you were referring to the employers portion of the FICA tax. If the employer was not required to pay that tax I'm sure it would not find its way into my paycheck.

[JMintzer]

Okay... Fess up... Who said "Beetlejuice" 6 times (we now have two of our resident climate experts serial posting non-stop)...

[MorTech]

You can create hydrocarbons by cracking H2O and CO2. This requires more energy than the energy than you get out. Using atomic power with your input source being ocean water (Which is H2O with 8% concentration of CO2), you can make methane and then us a Fischer–Tropsch process to create long chain hydrocarbons. This is hugely expensive so drilling/refining the stuff is quite cheap.

[MorTech]

Here is the Fusion energy EU boondoggle called ITER:

ITER - the way to new energy (https://www.iter.org/)

Shell Oil Pearl Gas-to-Liquids Project in Qatar...stupid expensive :)

Pearl GTL - Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_GTL)

[MorTech]

I sure would like to see the science/chemistry behind *that*!!

What is your CV? You actually need to study university STEM as a prerequisite to "see" and "hear". How do you think the hydrocarbons got there?...And don't say dinosaurs :) And hydrocarbons are not "fossil fuels"...anyone who states that I know are just indoctrinated by the idiot box :)

[jimjamuser]

You never heard of that because you get your information from the idiot box. Hydrocarbons are created in the earth...Hydrocarbons are literally liquid sunshine. How do you think they got there in the first place? God?
Yes God -----SHE is my friend.

[Pugchief]

(we now have two of our resident climate experts serial posting non-stop)...

Amigo, "Trust the experts!"

[MorTech]

Hydrocarbons are literally solar energy in gas/liquid form. Methane/Ethane/Propane are gaseous at room temperature whilst Butane and longer chain hydrocarbons are liquid...Then you got coal. There are quadrillions of barrels of oil under the artic/antartic.

[Bill14564]

What is your CV? You actually need to study university STEM as a prerequisite to "see" and "hear". How do you think the hydrocarbons got there?...And don't say dinosaurs :) And hydrocarbons are not "fossil fuels"...anyone who states that I know are just indoctrinated by the idiot box :)

Idiot box, most real science…. I’ll take it. Better than some odd theory that hydrocarbons just appear or pseudoscience that predicts their creation but cannot find them.