Libyan No-Fly ZoneFollow

I think you took your eyes off the ball though. You were the one arguing that the government can't be acting to oppose domestic oil production because it provides subsidies to oil companies. My argument is that the subsidies don't matter since the government has put so many regulations in place that it makes new oil production nearly impossible. The subsidies are a red herring to the whole issue.

It's kinda equivalent to the government placing strict standards on cars which result in pricing them out of the reach of many people, and increased taxes on the gasoline used to run them, but then insisting that since the government subsidizes the registration of a car, this means that it's helping people to own cars! Not on net though, is it?


I'll point out (again) that the proof is in the result. Domestic oil production has decreased steadily over the last 40 years. Not "relative production", but raw production. We actually produce about half as much oil today compared to the early 70s. Obviously, our consumption of oil has increased over that time. If the government were really encouraging domestic production of oil, this would not be the case. You can jump up and down screaming "Subsidies!" over and over, but it doesn't change that basic fact. Our government has chosen a course of action over that time period which has resulted in a reduced production of oil domestically. You're arguing about this tree or that tree, while ignoring the forest.

No, you lamely attempted to lecture us on what the subsidies REALLY were and, in doing so, demonstrated complete ignorance. Hysterical ignorance given the depth of how wrong you were. Now you're doing your usual sputtering about "Well, me being 100% wrong doesn't matter because you have to look at this BIG PICTURE!"

Which kind of makes your other comments on the topic not really worth reading. Remember what I said about credibility?

Due in overwhelming part to the low-hanging fruit of easily tapped fields going dry starting in the early 1980s. This is like arguing that scary liberal environmentalism is the primary reason why I can't hunt passenger pigeons any longer. Again... credibility.

Edited, Mar 24th 2011 4:26pm by Jophiel

No, actually you started out saying that he was against any production so this is your thing to prove. I'm just pointing out the giant gaping flaws in the arguments you and Gbaji try to throw up.

Gbaji is trying to make it my argument instead of noting that my remarks were merely in response to yours. Either because he's intentionally trying to shift the burden of evidence or because he's an illiterate 'tard -- I'd give it 50/50 either way.

Damn, if only we had The Decider running things. He was a real military success!

You also forgot to mention the 60% support for the US kinetic military action in Libya.

Edited, Mar 24th 2011 5:09pm by Jophiel

So you decided to go with "illiterate ******"? Damn, I had you down for intentional deception.

Here's my bringing up of subsidies...

...nothing about proving anything about domestic production. I said that the fact that the administration was issuing permits sort of discredited Varus's "argument" (heh) that Obama had blocked domestic drilling. My statement about subsidies was pointing out that we already waste over 40 billion a year on US oil subsidies so two billion to Brazil isn't going to be what makes me wet my pants.


Yeah, maybe you should learn how to read (and learn how to be at least a teeny-tiny bit correct in your lectures) before letting us know what's "dumb".

As in I didn't directly address it with a comment about subsidies? You're right! I mean, you're right in that I didn't hence making you wrong about your broader claim but you should grasp these tiny fleeting victories when you can.

You were wrong about my posting and you were wrong about what the subsidies are for. I know you won't ever admit to it but you should probably at least get past it. You're not going to word-vomit your way into anyone thinking you were anything other than wrong.

Wow... it's like you just make up your own reality in your head to keep you safe or something. Yes, after I just showed that one half of one percent of US gas & oil subsidies are for exploration, you still think they're part of the "bulk" of subsidies. Of course, this is after you just lectured us all that subsidies are really ALL about exploration.

Damn man, how do you brush your hair without having to look at yourself in the mirror?

Edited, Mar 24th 2011 6:56pm by Jophiel

Lol, my new morning coffee shop has a 'pull' door. There is a teenyweeny 'pull' sign, but it still took awhile to train my reflexes to automatically pull that door open. I have pondered if they get stuck inside when it snows too much.

But the coffee is rich and fresh and hot and dark and the buttermilk scones are out-of-this-world yummy. The shop also sells wedding dresses which is kind of weird and made me a little nervous at first. I'm pretty confident now though that I'm not going to trip on my way out, splattering some $6k white gown with unrestrained coffee.

It's an old "The Farside" comic.

Ah, that's what I get for skimming. Just realized that varus actually said the name, too.


Woops.

Some of my friends were throwing this around facebook, and it made me laugh: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAyCdfOXvec&feature=youtube_gdata_player
Pretty much agree with most of it, beside the condescension toward Europe and the UN, and glossing over the facts that there are no US ground troops in Libya and we're supporting an existing rebellion instead of just invading. Libya is a fight I don't believe we should be involved with.