Tag: gasoline prices

How Joe Biden Made the War in Ukraine a Gift to the Gas Industry

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)
Gas execs

How Joe Biden Made the War in Ukraine a Gift to the Gas Industry

The letter, dated February 25, just one day after Vladimir Putin’s forces launched their assault on Ukraine, noted the “dangerous juncture” of the moment before segueing into a list of demands: more drilling on US public lands; the swift approval of proposed gas export terminals; and pressure on the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, an independent agency, to greenlight pending gas pipelines.

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Much of the new gas infrastructure won’t be operational for several years, which may be beyond the timeframe of the Russia-Ukraine conflict that has squeezed supplies and caused gas prices to spike. So much LNG export is planned or under construction, adding up to about half of all total US gas production, that it will probably cause gas prices to climb for domestic American users, according to Clark Williams-Derry, analyst at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis

“It’s beginning to eat into the amount of gas available to domestic consumers,” said Williams-Derry. “We will see very severe impacts on domestic US gas prices. We will see the impacts for as long as the eye can see.”

IMF Tells Bolivia To Drop Its Successful Economic Model

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)1 Comment

The IMF released a report today on the Bolivian economy in which it recommends adopting drastic neoliberal measures, including; reducing workers’ salaries, cutting public investments, and ending currency controls. These policies have turned Bolivia from one of the poorest countries in the region into it’s fastest-growing economy.

IMF Tells Bolivia To Drop Its Successful Economic Model

‘We Were Treated Like Terrorists’: Brits Charged With ‘Racial Hatred’ Over Russian Flag Speak Out

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)1 Comment

The charges have been dropped and the group is pursuing legal action against the arresting officers, a spokesman told Sputnik. He condemned the UK’s dystopian double standard: “you can wave the Ukraine flag – in fact, we could have had swastikas and they wouldn’t have said anything – but not a Russian flag.”

‘We Were Treated Like Terrorists’: Brits Charged With ‘Racial Hatred’ Over Russian Flag Speak Out

Steel Manufacturing: ArcelorMittal Poland Plans Extended Shut-Down

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

On September 8, ArcelorMittal Poland announced it would take Blast Furnace No. 3 at the Dąbrowa Górnicza steel manufacturing plant off stream starting in late September. According to the company, the temporary measure is a response to current market conditions throughout Europe.

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“Reducing production is the result of several factors,” the company said, elaborating on its decision. “[These include] the slow-down of economic activity in Europe, destocking done by customers, increasing level of imports from outside EU, and increasing gas and electricity prices.”

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“Additionally, the cost of carbon, which is not applicable for steel producers importing steel into Europe, has reached record high levels this year, placing European steelmakers at a further competitive disadvantage,” the company added.

Steel Manufacturing: ArcelorMittal Poland Plans Extended Shut-Down

Angry Customers Demand Explanation As German Energy Bills Soar

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Angry Customers Demand Explanation As German Energy Bills Soar

Apart from already high energy bills, German customers will have a surcharge as of October, as part of a government plan to implement a so-called gas levy on consumers in order to help struggling energy firms.

Germany has recently announced it would impose a gas levy on consumers from October 1 through March 2024 as it aims to help energy providers and importers of natural gas, which are struggling with low Russian gas supply and very expensive alternatives to Russian gas. The new natural gas tax is set to cost German families, who will have to foot the bill for the tax, an extra $500 a year.

Surging cost of living in US drives class tensions to the breaking point

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

The latest inflation data published Tuesday shows that the working class confronts months of immense hardships as wages lose their value in the face of rising living costs. The ruling class’s attempt to make the working class pay for the crisis of capitalism is driving workers into struggle across the world, including in the United States, where teachers, nurses, and possibly railroad workers are launching powerful strikes.

Surging cost of living in US drives class tensions to the breaking point

Rand Paul blasts DC priorities: No one hit by severe Kentucky floods asked me to send more foreign aid

Tina Marie (Ms. Cat)

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., called out the “enormous disconnect” between Congress’ priorities and those of their constituents, as billions of taxpayer dollars have gone to foreign aid while people in his own state have little to no help with deadly flood recovery.

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For his part, Paul is locked in a midterm election battle with progressive former state Rep. Charles Booker, D-Louisville.

Rand Paul blasts DC priorities: No one hit by severe Kentucky floods asked me to send more foreign aid

Related:

Rand Paul is Being Dragged For Requesting Federal Aid For His Tornado-Ravaged State After Routinely Voting Against Past Disaster Relief Bills

In 2013, after Hurricane Sandy devastated parts of the Northeast, including New York, Paul voted against a bill providing recovery funds. In 2017, he voted against relief sent to Puerto Rico after it was pounded by Hurricane Maria, as well as assistance for Texas after it was hit by Hurricane Harvey. In 2019, he voted against a sweeping bill that earmarked $17.2 billion in disaster relief funding to several federal agencies.

Who are the 11 senators who voted against the burn pits bill for veterans?

Political commentators were less surprised to see Mr Paul oppose the bill, as the libertarian frequently opposes federal spending — unless it directly benefits him.