Your incisive insight still doesn’t prevent you from turning a phrase that is just plain “loverly”: “… the occupants of the various clown cars…” 😂 BTW, you reminded me of an entry into the competition for the first sentence of a new novel: “As a scientist, Throckmorton knew that if he broke wind in the echo chamber, he would never hear the end of it”. 🤭
This situation really amplifies the old phrase “ it’s complicated” and in this case I just hope it doesn’t become another unaffordable and destructive quagmire.
In some aspects, certainly. But, there's a lot of conventional that doesn't get talked about. His wild-man persona draws the most eyeballs, but in many policies he's just another populist, which is what American politics has become.
I have heard other people who know more about the petroleum industry question whether it is profitable to extract and refine Venezuelan petroleum at the present time, at prices hovering at around $58 per barrel. Extraction and refining would require a multi-year investment and billions of dollars - and it is unknown whether investors are willing to risk that money - at this time.
I don’t necessarily get “upset” over “oil” - I live in a very rural area, and use a fair amount of it - but, I resent being lied to. Trump, Hegseth, Vance, Rubio and others initially claimed our “problem” with Venezuela was because of fentanyl - and that is a lie. Then, they claimed it was because of cocaine - but, Trump pardoned Juan Orlando Hernandez, who trafficked 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S., so, that was a lie, too.
Some do, but the biggest segment of today's GOP is populist. Which is to say, protectionist and nativist. They've fallen into the "trade deficits matter" trap, and share some of the zero-sum thinking that the Left lives on.
"...what pundits put forth in the early hours or days is worth very little. It’s a lot of handwaving done for the sake of filling up space and catching the eyes of the doom-scrollers, it is usually based on very little concrete information, and it’s as ephemeral as (h/t to Harlan Ellison) a fart in a wind tunnel."
In other words, nobody freaking knows what's next. The only thing we do know is that Maduro isn't going to be pulling the strings anymore, and that's a good thing. The Exon exec who told Trump today that he's (essentially) not interested in going back there is probably prudent, Once burned is AT LEAST twice shy when it comes to fluid situations like this.
Your incisive insight still doesn’t prevent you from turning a phrase that is just plain “loverly”: “… the occupants of the various clown cars…” 😂 BTW, you reminded me of an entry into the competition for the first sentence of a new novel: “As a scientist, Throckmorton knew that if he broke wind in the echo chamber, he would never hear the end of it”. 🤭
This situation really amplifies the old phrase “ it’s complicated” and in this case I just hope it doesn’t become another unaffordable and destructive quagmire.
Agreed. And I remain suspicious of nation-building. But, it's been barely a week. I abide.
There has been the certainty that Trump is not conventional in almost every aspect. 🤞
In some aspects, certainly. But, there's a lot of conventional that doesn't get talked about. His wild-man persona draws the most eyeballs, but in many policies he's just another populist, which is what American politics has become.
I have heard other people who know more about the petroleum industry question whether it is profitable to extract and refine Venezuelan petroleum at the present time, at prices hovering at around $58 per barrel. Extraction and refining would require a multi-year investment and billions of dollars - and it is unknown whether investors are willing to risk that money - at this time.
I don’t necessarily get “upset” over “oil” - I live in a very rural area, and use a fair amount of it - but, I resent being lied to. Trump, Hegseth, Vance, Rubio and others initially claimed our “problem” with Venezuela was because of fentanyl - and that is a lie. Then, they claimed it was because of cocaine - but, Trump pardoned Juan Orlando Hernandez, who trafficked 400 tons of cocaine into the U.S., so, that was a lie, too.
It's always a mixed bag with the Untethered Orange Id.
As for extraction? We don't need to figure that part out. Just clear the obstacles and let market forces do what they do.
I agree about “market forces.” I wish so-called Republicans embraced that more.
Some do, but the biggest segment of today's GOP is populist. Which is to say, protectionist and nativist. They've fallen into the "trade deficits matter" trap, and share some of the zero-sum thinking that the Left lives on.
Statements of sanity…wonderfully rare commodity!
"...what pundits put forth in the early hours or days is worth very little. It’s a lot of handwaving done for the sake of filling up space and catching the eyes of the doom-scrollers, it is usually based on very little concrete information, and it’s as ephemeral as (h/t to Harlan Ellison) a fart in a wind tunnel."
In other words, nobody freaking knows what's next. The only thing we do know is that Maduro isn't going to be pulling the strings anymore, and that's a good thing. The Exon exec who told Trump today that he's (essentially) not interested in going back there is probably prudent, Once burned is AT LEAST twice shy when it comes to fluid situations like this.