I know I’ve made this point a million times, but there was not actually an obligation to do insane illegal sanctions against Russia for invading the sacred borders of a “country” that was a part of Russia for hundreds of years before 1991. Russia crushed Chechnya in two wars that were actually brutal (as opposed to this Candyland Ukraine thing) in the 1990s-2000s, Russia invaded Georgia and took land in 2008, and Russia took part of the Ukraine in 2014.

None of that was a big deal to anyone. But all of the sudden, the Ukraine is the most important thing that ever happened in history, the most democratic thing since abortion, and therefore we’re going full psycho mode.

Washington was aware that sanctions against Russia would have consequences for the US, causing a spike in energy prices, President Joe Biden said on Wednesday.

Speaking at the White House, Biden blamed Russia for hikes in US fuel costs, saying the American people and the rest of the world would have to pay a price for siding with Ukraine.

“We cut off Russian oil into the United States, and our partners in Europe did the same, knowing that we would see higher gas prices.” he said, adding that the US Congress gave near unanimous support to the oil ban, “knowing full well the cost.”

Gasoline prices in the US are now hovering near $5 per gallon, compared to roughly $3 per gallon a year ago. According to Biden, the US government is doing everything it can “to reduce this pain at the pump.” The president proposed suspending the 18-cent federal gas tax for the next three months, and called on states to remove their own taxes on fuel. Biden also urged oil refining companies to increase their capacity.

I’ve been known to write the same thing over and over again, but I just wrote all this yesterday, when talking about a poll showing that only 11% of Americans believe the gas prices are Putin’s fault.

Short story – Republicans are actually claiming that the sanctions are not causing an increase in gas prices and it is entirely due to Biden doing Green New Deal bullshit. That is an obvious lie. Democrats agree with the Republicans that the sanctions were some kind of historical necessity, which is also stupid and an obvious lie.

I need to make a new meme because it’s a dollar higher now, but here’s the thing:

Yes, Biden’s attacks on America’s energy sector are insane, but fossil fuel is a global market. If the Keystone XL pipeline was running, that would not really change the price of gasoline at the pump significantly. That pipeline was intended to move 830,000 barrels per day, and the world as a whole consumes 100 million barrels per day.

So, let me get out my calculator… yeah, that is less than 1% of global consumption. It’s obviously higher than 1% of potential American oil, but there are still several pipelines running from Canada.

Also, the pipeline was going to transport oil for refining and sale in America. Canada is refining at least some of the oil from the same wells themselves. (Honestly, I don’t know the details of that and generally try not to talk out of my ass, but I remember when the pipeline was canceled by Biden to try to stop tornados or whatever the hell, I read some long article about how Canada would expand refining capacity.)

Meanwhile, Russia produces nearly 15% of the world’s oil.

Again, the math just doesn’t work here, claiming that

I 100% agree with everyone saying that shutting down the pipeline is just a completely nonsensical act for any purpose other than inflicting austerity, but gas going from $2 to $5 is not because Biden canceled Keystone. That’s dumb it’s wrong, and people should stop saying it, because it’s what scumbag Republican neocon war supporters want you to say.

Biden actually called out Republicans in his remarks, saying that they all voted for the war against Russia. I actually like that he did that.

Joe Biden literally implying if you’re upset about high gas prices, you’re a Putin supporter. pic.twitter.com/mW4sfxxobR

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