You Know that We Are FUCKED as a Nation When.....

Why? What makes you qualified to direct politicians on complicated issues? Does a CEO ask all the stockholders what to do before doing anything? The average Jane and Joe have their hands full with working, raising their families, etc and you expect them to be knowledgeable enough to make key decisions about national infrastructure, foreign policy, taxation, etc.

Another benefit; use strategic reserves to moderate prices. Oil prices low? Dump strategic reserves. What could be more simple?

Better question, what makes you think this is a complicated question?

Exactly, and almost no one expects these low prices to last with the way they the mid east is breaking down. What is the timeframe on this law? I bet it is soon, which is stupid as ****. This is bullshit that Washington is try to get by the people to fix the books for a couple of years since they cant figure out how to keep the roads fixed mostly because of partisan politics but also some because they dont agree on transportation policy. ******* FIGURE IT OUT! THAT IS YOUR FULL TIME JOB! What else are these assholes going to sell off that belongs to us to pay for the fact that they cant get the work done is what I want to know.

VOTE TRUMP!!

'The proposed sale, included in a bill posted on the White House website, equates to more than 8 percent of the 695 million barrels of reserves, held in four sites along the Gulf of Mexico coast. Sales are due to start in 2018 at an annual rate of 5 million barrels, rising to 10 million by 2023 and totaling 58 million barrels by the end of the period. The proceeds will be “deposited into the general fund of the Treasury,” according to the bill.'

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-10-27/u-s-plans-to-sell-down-strategic-oil-reserve-to-raise-cash

No one knows yet what the prices will be in 2018 which is when the draw down begins. I'm with you on not selling it when the price is upside down....but as far as selling it....US demand peaked in 2007 and is going steadily down due to efficiency increases....so we don't need that much in storage now that we're more oil independent.

Wrong answer. First you decide risk, then you decide on reserves. The facts that we produce more and use less per person does factor in, but they are only two of many parts of a risk/benefit analysis, which we are not doing, because we are stupid like that.

Thanks for playing. I am sorry that you turned up to be wrong. Better luck next time.

Does that mean you think many of our politicians are qualified to make decisions on complicated issues, especially independent of political considerations?

Those sound like valid considerations.

A risk/benefit analysis needs to be done in an orderly society before a sale like this is made. Is there a secret one?

Highly doubful.

Stop hedging. Washington is wrong. Obama is wrong, The D's are wrong. The R's are wrong. We the people might end up paying dearly for the fact that these asshole dont get the work done. There is NO doubt about that statement, it is complete fact. This sale right now before any debate is wrong and we should be pissed at everyone who is not speaking for the people, who is not indicating by their action sanity and that the long term best interests of this nation matters. These people in Washington are in my opinion acting just like those CEO's who only care about the next two quarters bottom like thus how money they will walk away with, and dont care who gets hurt on the way to a good result.

Hey dummy. The US is the biggest producer of petroleum in the world and a huge net oil exporter. Exporting nonrenewable raw resources is usually a sign of a third world economy.

That is what we are electing them to do, so if they aren't, we shouldn't keep sending them back to office. If we hire people who can't do the job, aren't we the ones at fault?

We also used to trust out doctors to tell us what to do, we just did what they said. Now we dont. But how many doctors do we need to go through without finding a good one before we can decide that doctors suck is what I want to know. Ok, maybe we the people are getting uppity, and given how badly the pros of Washington have fucked up the job I think this is justified. If you engineer want to blindly follow the self proclaimed experts you are free to do so. I choose to not, dont bother telling me that I should follow the experts

Iraq
Great depression
government cant pay its bills
We imprison huge numbers of people
our education system sucks bad
our healthcare system sucks bad
Putin is on his own and with a weak economic system outmaneuvering us
Income has stagnated
class rigidity and inequality has gotten a lot worse
our infrastructure is not maintained
We have not won a war since WW2
blah
blah

So is there some magical power that makes people living over oil stupid?

Adults are talking here.

Largest producers of oil are actually Russia and Saudi Arabia. I do share your feelings on exporting nonrenewables.

This would be the same Russia that might have a solution to syria when we have failed at the problem for years, and is instituting it with their professional and well armed military? A nuclear military power. Who is in partnership with China. Who gets us to the space station cause we cant do it anymore and who runs a huge chunk of the station.

Who ever is say that Russia is in the third world is using the wrong yardstick.

The idea that the "little people" should debate the issues of the day when they can't even elect a decent office holder is ridiculous. You may hate doctors, but when you need surgery you don't go to a plumber. Yes, you should listen to economists when talking about the economy. Yes, you should listen to doctors when discussing public health. Yes, experts are valuable. You don't have to go to the doctor if you want, but don't expect to get the optimum health outcome. The public gets to comment on public policy every time they hold an election. Asking for more than that is a recipe for never getting anything done.

Me personally? I expect every elected leader to research the issues, go out and get the information he or she needs, consult the experts and then make the best decision for the country. Are they qualified to be an expert on every issue? Of course not, but they are still responsible for finding people to educate them so they can make an informed response. That is the full time job I elected them to perform. Is that idealistic? Sure, but that is still my standard.

Unless I am on the table in cardiac arrest the doctor does not decide what happens to me I do. And I might talk to a dozen other people to include people who are not doctors before I do.

Washington should not be doing anything of consequence without at least consulting with the people, and they should do what the majority their district wants them to do unless they have a very good reason not to. That is what representatives do, they represent.

(consult the experts)

Would these experts be called lobbyists by any chance? I dont think they have my interests in mind when big companies pay them to get the laws passed that helps them make more money for their stockholders no matter how much it hurts the national interest.

I argue that they are doing exactly what the people in their districts want instead of what is best for the country. You want more of that, more free stuff with less taxes, a great wall of Mexico, more bombing countries that we can't find on a map. I want responsible government.

Seriously, I wish you luck.