BloggeRhythms

Just about as ironic as it can get, foxnews.com reports: “Tesla co-founder and CEO Elon Musk called on the United States to increase its domestic oil output in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while also acknowledging that his electric car company would be negatively affected by that move.

"Hate to say it, but we need to increase oil & gas output immediately," Musk tweeted Friday. "Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures."

Musk added, "Obviously, this would negatively affect Tesla, but sustainable energy solutions simply cannot react instantaneously to make up for Russian oil & gas exports."

Additionally, reports have shown that the U.S. is buying 650,000 barrels a day from Russia, which some have argued is essentially financing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war machine.

“Musk’s initial Twitter post was retweeted almost 20,000 times within 30 minutes of being posted.” 

While Musk presents an intelligent, nonpolitical, pragmatic premise, comments following the article indicate that everyday citizens fully grasp the Ukrainian debacle as well.

Shilohcomes comments: "Every time Musk says or does something, I like him more. When somebody recognizes, and supports actions that are in the best interest of society, but actually work against their own personal interests, that's called values. Real values."

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MaxRightWinger says: "Same here. I'm a die hard corn bred corn fed MAGA hat wearing Trumpster. Elon and I disagree on most social issues, but the man does have common sense - as evidenced by his numerous successful business ventures."

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Vernacularcause replies: "Sorry, libs, but sustainable energy production in it's current primary forms (Hydro, Wind Turbine and Solar) would barely be enough to power all the vending machines in the US, much less our infrastructure. You're stuck with fossil fuels for several decades to come, at least."

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rudder727 predicts: "Just wait when America tries to plug in their electric cars in a few years. You can only plug in Monday and Thursday if your address is an even number."

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Dragonwarrior adds: "Much respect for Elon. He's willing to sacrifice potential profit for the greater good of the world. Others should take note. There are things in life more important than money, especially when you never need to worry about getting more of it."

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Scanning 8.5K reader comments reveals that just about all are in the same vein, submitted by intelligent, aware, generally astute individuals fully aware that current administrative policies need full reversal, particularly regarding Russian oil and gas exports and opening up U.S. production.

At the same time, according to Andrew Mark Miller @foxnews.com/politics: “The Keystone XL pipeline was halted by the administrations of both President Obama and President Biden which critics, including one expert who spoke with Fox Business, say only exacerbated the current predicament the United States faces as it continues to purchase oil from Russia as it invades Ukraine, a U.S. ally.

“Several news outlets including the Washington Post and CNBC have posted headlines admonishing those who invoke Biden’s cancellation of the Keystone XL pipeline as the United States continues to buy oil from Russia while the country’s military wreaks havoc in Ukraine."

South Carolina Senator Tim Scott wrote on foxnews.com this week: "The United States imports nearly 600,000 barrels of oil a day from Russia—an amount that could have been made up for by the more than 800,000 barrels of oil the Keystone XL pipeline is capable of delivering each day if the Biden administration hadn’t stood in the way. As Vladimir Putin conducts his evil and unprovoked attack on Ukraine, now more than ever, we must cut off our energy dependence on Russia while turning up our energy production here at home."

Typically: “White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki shot down a question about the potential impact of the Keystone XL pipeline, which Biden halted in 2021, and said the pipeline has never been operational and would therefore take "years" to have an impact. Had it not been canceled twice, though, during the Obama and Biden administrations, it would likely be near completion.”

In response: “Jason Modglin, President of the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers, told Fox Business on Thursday that the Keystone XL pipeline along with other pipelines would in fact make a difference in the short and long term. 

"Keystone would have absolutely made a difference because it would have lowered the cost of Canadian crude to get to the markets that it needs to get to in order to be refined and shipped to be utilized here in the United States," Modglin said. "And so by canceling Keystone, it artificially raises the price of Canadian oil and allows for the Russians to undercut that."

Quill Robinson, government affairs vice president at the American Conservation Coalition, told Fox Business last week "President Biden started off his administration by kneecapping America's ability to produce energy, and I think that that's a huge problem. And we're seeing the consequences of that now."

Likely sensing a forced significant change in future policy, wanting to get ahead of the curve: “On Thursday, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi voiced support for banning all Russian oil imports into the United States in order to cut off the revenue stream for Putin’s aggression in Ukraine.

"I'm all for that. Ban it," Pelosi said Thursday at a press conference at the Capitol.”

Here again, following the article, readers remindfully  establish that they are a far, far cry from Bill Clinton’s wife claim back in 2016 that her dissenters “belong in a “basket of deplorables” characterized by “racist, sexist, homophobic, xenophobic, Islamophobic” views.”

Dblbogey206 commented: “We are years away from having the technology for alternative energy. (Solyndra anybody?). Until then, it's oil and gas. As for climate change, I'm still waiting for the next ice age they told me was coming in the early 70's, or for Manhattan to be 4 feet underwater by 2007. The sea levels are going to destroy us, yet Obama, Pelosi and Brandon have recently purchased ocean front property”

Getithere wrote: “We? Renewables are heavily subsidized and per dollar spent so far is a dismal failure, in fairness still in the early stage of renewable self-sufficiency., like 7-30 years based upon major university computer models. Less we forget, before going full bore there was and still is considerable disagreement into caused (human-made vs natural). and the jury is still out? How much of your money are you willing to risk? Most of the energy infrastructure is already in place or being financed by industry."

From what these readers had to say, and their depths of knowledge, It’s highly unlikely that Clinton’s wife would want to enter serious debate with the previous two, or any of the other thousands upon thousands of "deplorables" providing similar commentary.

That’s it for today folks.

Adios

PS: As it turns out, the beer-slinging Bronx Congresswoman and Elizabeth Warren found they were distantly related, attached through an Indian tribe, the “Fugawis.” The relationship surfaced as the two worked on social legislation together, often overheard uttering things between themselves, such as “Where the Fugawi?” or “Who the Fugawi?” as they traced their mutual heritage. Most recently they fostered a joint bill, wishing to model the armed services more closely to their perception of what a military should look like, predicated on their ideal, ”F-Troop.” Biden, presently taking their suggestions quite seriously, told both, “I like your ideas, because the White House runs pretty much that way now.”