Hooray! No More Russian Energy Imports

At the Expense of The American Citizen

Sorry No Gas, Ask Joe For Some. Coming soon to a gas station near you.

Joe Biden finally made up his mind and banned Russian oil and gas imports. All without a plan on how to replace that 7% and without demanding our so-called allies do the same.

Sure, he is calling it the ‘cost of standing up for freedom.’ Standing up for whom?

Once again, the United States government is trying to sell us the conflict between Ukraine and Russia as a ‘we’ problem, just like they did Afghanistan. I am not buying it.

I ask again. Where was our government when the Ukrainian military was bombing and killing women and children in the Donbas region since 2014? Now they want me to support an oppressive undemocratic government and a country who supported the Nazis during the second world war.

Does it justify the Russian invasion? Absolutely not, but that is for Ukraine to figure out, not the United States.

Meanwhile, Joe Biden could not help himself and called the ban an opportunity to transition to renewable energy, without offering nothing but empty rhetoric and no plan. We are at the verge of a third world war and this is the best the leader of the free world can offer to the American people.

“No one has to worry about the price at the gas pump in the future, tyrants like Putin won’t be able to use fossil fuels as weapons against other nations.” Really? That is why European nations did not join the United States on this futile endeavor. Fossil Fuels are not going anywhere folks and that is a fact.

As I anticipated, he went on to blame the conflict for the root cause of gas prices going up. It is definitely part of the problem, but gas prices were already on the rise before the conflict began due to Biden’s cancelation of the Keystone pipeline and drilling contracts on federal lands.

Now he wants to blame all our economic woes on Russia, but that is a flat out lie intended for his supporters. Inflation was already at an all time high before the conflict in Ukraine started.

He said this is meant to inflict pain on Putin, but in reality it is going to inflict pain on the America people. He is using this as an excuse to justify his administration’s never-ending failures by trying to convince you that by paying $10.00 per gallon of gas you are contributing to Putin’s demise.

The Biden administration is now begging our sworn enemies like Venezuela and Iran to bail us out of our self-inflicted lack of energy independence. Seriously? If you don’t think this is embarrassing, I can’t help you.

The CIA has been trying to liquidate Maduro for years while our government will not even recognize him as the Venezuelan president. Now? He’s again our friend. In Joe Biden’s own words, ‘what a pile of malarkey.’

According to polls, if you believe those things, 71% of Americans support the ban and 56% suggest we have not gone far enough. This is probably the same 71% who approves of nonsensical stuff such as renaming things, food items, and drinks, as acts of ‘solidarity.’

Let us see how long this 71% of Americans will continue to support the ban as gas prices continue to rise by the day. Meanwhile Europeans will continue to enjoy the Russian energy imports while lecturing us on humanitarian and energy independence issues.

I am still waiting for Biden to tell us how are we going to replace that 7% of oil. After all, we are the largest oil consumer in the world.

I will sit down and wait.

The PGA Tour Has Become a Self-Absorbed and Greedy Cult

PGA Tour; all about the money. Picture courtesy of mikeduran.com

Listening to Commissioner Jay Monahan in his press conference at TPC Sawgrass, it reminded me how much I love the game of golf, and how much I despise professional golf.

First off, addressing the war in Ukraine, Jay Monahan was just another parrot. Grandstanding and demonstrating, once more, the PGA Tour does not understand geopolitical nor internal or external political issues.

When asked about some of the sponsors who have chosen not to pull out from Russia, Monahan did the ‘Potomac Two-Step’ around the question. So much for caring about the Ukrainian people.

They did the same thing during the George Floyd riots by saving an honorary tee time for convicted felon George Floyd at the Charles Schwab Challenge, while ignoring the carnage caused to cities and businesses by those same rioters.

“Go Woke or Go Broke, that should be the PGA Tour motto.

During his press conference, Monahan was clear; the PGA Tour is all about money and revenue. I do not believe Monahan is sincere when he states the PGA Tour is about legacy and not leverage. Individuals establish legacies not organizations by themselves.

I think the PGA Tour position on the Saudi funded Super League is obtuse. This will be going to court, and I believe the PGA Tour will lose the case based on antitrust regulations. Competition and free market are part of business life, and the PGA Tour has no leg to stand on.

Players, as independent contractors, should have the right to play where they wish. Monahan gives the impression of strong-arming the players by telling them the PGA Tour or else, that is leverage. Sure, the players will not publicly talk about it, but I cannot believe independent contractors are fine with one individual telling them they cannot make money elsewhere.

What’s next? Is he going to tell players which sponsors are acceptable? Get real Jay!

The PGA Tour and the Saudi Super League can coexist, the problem is Jay Monahan and his greediness. Monahan wants the PGA Tour to be the only game in town and goes after any competition that can threaten his monopoly, or like he said, his “lunch money.” Frankly, in my opinion, it is disgusting.

In regard to Phil Mickelson, I think Monahan was a coward and did not address the questions with honesty. He stated the ball was in Mickelson’s court, well Jay, not if he has been suspended. Of course, Monahan refused to say if Mickleson was in fact under suspension. The secrecy of the PGA Tour mafia continues.

One thing is for sure, the Phil Mickleson saga opened my eyes as to the greedy nature of the PGA Tour and professional golf.

The PGA Tour has become a greedy and shameful institution.