Politics Thread

**GoMuskies** · 01-18-2017, 12:45 AM

I can't imagine oil going higher than maybe $60/barrel anytime soon. All the OPEC cartel members are going to cheat on their deal, and even if they don't there's an enormous supply of untapped shale in the U.S. that is just waiting for oil prices to inch up a bit before getting the shit fracked out of it.

**X-man** · 01-18-2017, 05:04 AM

Originally Posted by Emp

Could you point me to this media outpouring of credit to Obama for bringing gas prices down? Every report I've read attributed it to the Saudis refusing to cut production; and lower demand in China, India and the emerging economies.

Plus 1. Maybe a "fake news" outlet?

Caf · 01-18-2017, 07:16 AM

Originally Posted by ArizonaXUGrad

Was it ok when Bush commuted the sentence of Libby? That guy outed the identity of a sitting CIA agent.

No...?

I'm really not a fan of commuting sentences, especially high profile ones. Obama's commutations of those imprisoned on drug charges is more understandable to me.

**boozehound** · 01-18-2017, 07:40 AM

Originally Posted by Caf

Add the commutation of Chelsea Manning to the list of confounding actions by Obama in relation to Russia/Wikileaks.

I thought that was fake / parody news when I first read it. I have no earthly idea why his/her sentence is being commuted. So basically this dude gives/sells a bunch of classified information to Wikileaks, gets arrested for treason, cools his heels in the joint for a few years while taxpayers foot the bill to have his dong turned into fake vagina, and he then gets let out. I don't get it.

Originally Posted by GoMuskies

I can't imagine oil going higher than maybe $60/barrel anytime soon. All the OPEC cartel members are going to cheat on their deal, and even if they don't there's an enormous supply of untapped shale in the U.S. that is just waiting for oil prices to inch up a bit before getting the shit fracked out of it.

This is my understanding of the situation as well, from a close friend who is a oil drilling company exec. Layer in an administration that is probably going to be pretty damn permissive about fracking and I don't think there is much risk to oil prices spiking in the near term.

**GoMuskies** · 01-18-2017, 09:14 AM

In fairness, though, I don't recall anyone calling for oil to drop like a rock from 120 to 30, either, so really who the hell knows what will happen?

SemajParlor · 01-18-2017, 09:46 AM

Lmao more people outraged at Chelsea Manning not serving out the full 35 year sentence and not about information Manning provided. Read up, folks.

SemajParlor · 01-18-2017, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by ArizonaXUGrad

Was it ok when Bush commuted the sentence of Libby? That guy outed the identity of a sitting CIA agent.

It's a really bizarre tradition when you think about it.

Caf · 01-18-2017, 10:22 AM

Originally Posted by SemajParlor

Lmao more people outraged at Chelsea Manning not serving out the full 35 year sentence and not about information Manning provided. Read up, folks.

Manning definitely unearthed some awful and sobering information. It's still a crime and I think there was a lot of outrage over the info when it happened.

Wikileaks has since been proven to be more about tarnishing the US for Russia's gain than actual transparency. Admittedly, Wikileaks involvement is more of the issue for me. Especially considering recent events.