Relevant sign once more
Vladimir Putin‘s Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused oil prices to skyrocket. That has in turn caused gasoline prices at the pump to increase sharply. This was entirely predictable. We are having yet another war over oil. Apparently the world has learned little since both Gulf Wars. Indeed, even Japan’s attack on the United States at Pearl Harbor over 80 years ago was largely over oil.
But some folks are saying that “expensive gas is the price of freedom.” This meme can be seen all over social media. For example:
Record gas prices are how Americans can count the cost of freedom https://t.co/kSMxZs0Jnd
— Claude Taylor (@TrueFactsStated) March 10, 2022
Gas is expensive. Freedom is priceless.
— Ben Meiselas (@meiselasb) March 8, 2022
This meme follows a false assumption that high gasoline prices have something to do with “freedom,” or that they are inevitable when one country invades its neighbor, or even that we still need to be using so much oil. But none of that is the case. First, Putin did not have to invade Ukraine and cause an oil shock. Second, the United States imports less than two percent of its oil supply from Russia, thus President Joe Biden‘s recent ban on Russian oil imports ordinarily should have little effect on gasoline prices. However, world oil prices are influenced by cartels and set by traders on a spot market, which reacts to crises only because there is still a high worldwide demand for oil. Such trading involves a large element of psychology, especially greed and fear, just like the stock markets, which were hit hard after the Ukraine invasion, or the price of gold, which, conversely, has risen markedly since then.
Third, President Biden’s own success in fighting the COVID pandemic has resulted in fewer COVID cases and hospitalizations, and more “openings” of workplaces, higher employment, more trips to restaurants, more shopping, traveling, entertainment event attendance, etc., which has caused greater demand for fuel. In this regard, we recently pointed out that more development and use of renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, as well as more alternative fuel vehicles (such as electric and hybrid cars and trucks) would reduce our demand for oil and other fossil fuels, boosting our economy and our national security, as well as reducing climate change. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is thus the perfect opportunity to advocate for a clean energy agenda, as a “Liberal Shock Doctrine.”
On the other side, who opposes renewable energy, and most other positive changes, for that matter? Republicans. We’ll give you two of many examples. First, Donald Trump was recently asked about Ukraine’s future, and he went on a rant about “green energy” and “windmills,” saying “they don’t work.” Many Democrats mocked Trump, saying he was incoherent. However, Trump has criticized windmills before, even claiming they cause cancer. Clearly, Trump doesn’t like renewable energy. He’s simply spouting Republican dogma, which, not coincidentally, is being weaponized against President Biden, as Republicans try to blame Biden for higher fuel prices while opposing the development of renewable energy that would lower such prices.
Similarly, Trump holdover Louis DeJoy, who is still our Postmaster General, recently ordered a new fleet of gasoline-powered Postal Service trucks, even though electric vehicles are available. At best, DeJoy is ignorant, and hopelessly behind the times. At worst, he’s trying to hurt the U.S. economy and President Biden with greater gasoline demand, higher gas prices, and more pollution, like a good Republican should do. The Republicans demonstrate over and over that they place party over country.
If we truly want “freedom,” that means freeing ourselves from the gas pump, which is quite the opposite of the current meme.
Photo by Miles Gehm, used under Creative Commons license. https://is.gd/IGGX49
