Rachel Maddow hosts one of MSNBC’s most popular shows, one that regularly beats CNN and often enough even Fox News. She wrote a thrilling book, Blowout about how the oil and gas companies have basically ruled our country until the desire to save our home, this earth of ours, from total annihilation finally won out. Yes, ruled our country.Â
The New York Times reviewed Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth on Amazon. It read:
‘Blowout is a rollickingly well-written book, filled with fascinating, exciting and alarming stories about the impact of the oil and gas industry on the world today. . . . [It features] many colorful tales about villains, scoundrels and adventurers. . . . A brilliant description of many of the problems caused by our reliance on fossil fuels.’
Even 30 years ago, the big oil companies were giving people full rides to law school to become their environmental attorneys. But the timing of Maddow’s book was fortuitous. A terrorist hack-attacked Colonial Pipeline and shut off the gasoline supply to most of our east coast. Now, gas prices have started climbing, and people have been quite worried.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki took on their complaints during this new heavy-travel Memorial Day Weekend. Psaki released this statement that read:
‘[American] are paying less in real terms for gas than they have on average over the last 15 years. —and they’re paying about the same as they did in May 2018 and May 2019.’
Gasoline has always been a supply-and-demand issue controlled by the gas and oil companies. They forced small oil companies spread throughout the nation to close and cleverly built their plants right in the middle of hurricane alley. But that was not the problem, not this time.
Psaki noted that demand for gas was higher due to the diminishing threat of the coronavirus:
‘[W]hile prices have increased from the lows last year—as demand drastically dipped—prices at just about $3 per gallon are still well in-line with what they’ve been in recent decades.’
In mid-May, there was a cyberattack on the Colonial Pipeline. President Joe Biden understood what that did to companies out to make a quick unethical buck. Our president got how this affected Americans as they watched the price per gallon of gas as it ticked upward to 14 cents per gallon:
‘Do not, I repeat, do not, try to take advantage of consumers during this time. Nobody should be using this situation for financial gain. That’s what the hackers are trying to do. That’s what they’re about. Not us. That’s not who we are.’
Biden also urged drivers not to panic:
‘I know seeing lines at the pumps or gas stations with no gas can be extremely stressful. But this is a temporary situation. Do not get more gas than you need in the next few days. As I said, we expect the situation to begin to improve by the weekend and into early next week. Gasoline supply is coming back online, and panic-buying will only slow the process.’
Biden promised he would work with governors of affected states and federal agencies to prevent any price gouging.
Read the full Statement by Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Memorial Day Weekend Gas Prices from the White House:
‘Across America, the pandemic is in retreat. As we continue to make progress, and our life returns to normal, Americans are eager to make up for lost time, and more people are traveling this Memorial Day weekend.’
‘And as Americans are hitting the road, they are paying less in real terms for gas than they have on average over the last 15 years—and they’re paying about the same as they did in May 2018 and May 2019.
‘The Administration’s success in beating the pandemic and getting our economy back on track has led to increased demand for gas as the country re-opens. But, while prices have increased from the lows last year—as demand drastically dipped—prices at just about $3 per gallon are still well in-line with what they’ve been in recent decades.’
‘And since last week, prices have already stabilized after a spike earlier this month, as the Colonial Pipeline is fully flowing, and the supply situation returns to normal. This is due in part to the administration’s aggressive, whole-of-government response to the unprecedented shutdown of that pipeline.
‘While oil prices are shaped by global forces, the President knows that gas prices are a pain point for Americans—especially the middle-class families he’s put at the center of his economic agenda. That’s why President Biden is opposed any proposals to raise the gas tax. And it’s why we will continue to monitor prices, and are glad that Americans can get on the road again.’
Three White Lions podcast, Gloria Christie reads her week’s most important news/ commentary stories in the liberal online newspaper The Bipartisan Report. Gloria Christie Report her newsletter for people on the go. Written in her own unique style with a twist of humor in a briefer version of Bipartisan Report. Christie’s Mueller Report Adventures In Bite-Sizes a real-life compelling spy mystery. Find her here on Facebook.
