Are there any sanctions on energy?

[BlueLucy]

Are we still buying from Russia? I haven't heard any mention of sanctions on buying oil.

[gab13by13]

1. Well, this is the hold up on banning Russia from SWIFT,

If we ban Russia from SWIFT it won't be able to export fossil fuels to Europe and the EU is hesitating enacting this.

President Biden and Canada are discussing doing SWIFT but we need to keep our allies united.

[BlueLucy]

3. US and Canada should do it.

Does Banning SWIFT here affect Europe?

[gab13by13]

6. If it doesn't then absolutely we should do it.

Russia would shut the gas off to the EU if the EU did SWIFT, with that said the EU hasn't completely ruled it out.

[ChazII]

2. Listening late last night

I heard that we are still buying from Russia.

[BlueLucy]

4. Good Lord! nt

[CrackityJones75]

10. If us stopping buying causes them to shut off Europe

That doesn’t help.

It isn’t just about what us on a message board think we should do. Would love to stuck it to Russia but if that causes more harm than good it isn’t the right thing to do.

[PoliticAverse]

5. Basically no. Why not? To keep the price of energy from going up.

Russia is a huge energy supplier and a disruption in the flow would spike prices and disrupt the economies of western countries.
In regards to this issue Secretary of State Blinken said we didn't want to take an action "that would hurt us".

[gab13by13]

7. Open the spigots from Venezuela,

Sign the peace deal with Iran and open its spigots. Get other countries to increase exports.

[PoliticAverse]

8. Biden asked OPEC to increase supplies they apparently said no. n/t

[Sgent]

19. VZ

couldn't supply more if they wanted to (they do). Saudi or Iran might be able to, but the problem is this isn't about oil, it is mainly about natural gas. Europe either has to covert its NG electrical plants back to coal, which we can supply, or massively cut both its electrical usage and heating / cooking usage of NG.

[Scrivener7]

9. Ukrainians are putting themselves in front of tanks. Their residential

apartment buildings are being bombed.

I'd be willing to limit my driving to only necessities. I'd be willing to put the thermostat down to 50. I'd be willing to buy fewer petroleum based products. We should be doing that anyway.

What else would it take? I'd be willing.

It would be the least I could do to support them, and in the long run it would benefit all of us..

[CrackityJones75]

11. I, I, I, I,

All those things are awesome and commendable but much of Europe depends on that energy in bogger ways than being a little less comfortable.

[Scrivener7]

12. Like what? Heating, transportation, petroleum based products.

What did *I* miss?

We aren't talking about removing oil-based energy. We're talking about removing one fractional source of it.

So what can't YOU live without? Or more accurately, what can't YOU cut down on?

[CrackityJones75]

13. It isn't about US.

at least not US living in the U.S.

What you are talking about would have drastic effects on people in Europe. Like I said all of the things that you listed are great and commendable.

[Scrivener7]

14. It is TOTALLY about us. All of us. Especially the U.S. Because we are addicted to petroleum.

It is a finite resource, and the U.S. uses the lion's share of it. Russia's production of it is the basis of Vlad's power.

If we use less, Europe can use more.

Better yet, if we wean ourselves off our addiction, people like Vlad become completely powerless.

[CrackityJones75]

15. OMG. You just can't see it can you?

We aren’t talking about running out of the resource we are talking about the retaliation that Putin would enact.

Forget it yer not engaged in the actual conversation.

[Scrivener7]

16. Lol. I see it just fine. But that's a nice dodge. Have a nice day.

[BlueLucy]

18. If we're not willing to take some sacrifice

Putin will win. Oil money is the only sanction that really matters.

[BlueLucy]

17. It's worth the sacrifice.

I'm not happy about it. It feels weak.