Adam Kinzinger Threatens U.S. Aid to Israel if They Do Not Support NATO War in Ukraine


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on March 20, 2022

Representative Adam Kinzinger has a message for Israel, threatening U.S. support if they do not get into line and support the NATO objectives in Ukraine: (Source)

Akin to: ‘Nice Jewish homeland you’ve got there Israel; it’d be a shame if something happened to it.’

Kinzinger will likely win increased support, as if he didn’t already have it, from the far-left progressive movement who hate Israel.  However, as people start awakening to the reality that the U.S and NATO alliance have now aligned themselves with the ultranationalist Nazi’s in Ukraine, there might be a modicum of pushback from the Orthodox Jewish community.

The pressure on Israel to support the Ukraine nationalists came first from President Volodymyr Zelenskyy:

Of course, this position directly aligns with the recent changes by Google, Facebook and Twitter to support the Nazi movement in Ukraine by promoting the actions of the Azov battalions now being armed by the U.S. and NATO.

The Reuter’s article notes: “Emails also showed that Meta would allow praise of the right-wing Azov battalion, which is normally prohibited, in a change first reported by The Intercept.  Meta spokesman Joe Osborne previously said the company was “for the time being, making a narrow exception for praise of the Azov Regiment strictly in the context of defending Ukraine, or in their role as part of the Ukraine National Guard.” (link)

March 10 (Reuters) – Meta Platforms (FB.O) will allow Facebook and Instagram users in some countries to call for violence against Russians and Russian soldiers in the context of the Ukraine invasion, according to internal emails seen by Reuters on Thursday, in a temporary change to its hate speech policy.

The social media company is also temporarily allowing some posts that call for death to Russian President Vladimir Putin or Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in countries including Russia, Ukraine and Poland, according to internal emails to its content moderators.

“As a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine we have temporarily made allowances for forms of political expression that would normally violate our rules like violent speech such as ‘death to the Russian invaders.’ We still won’t allow credible calls for violence against Russian civilians,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement.

The calls for the leaders’ deaths will be allowed unless they contain other targets or have two indicators of credibility, such as the location or method, one email said, in a recent change to the company’s rules on violence and incitement.

The temporary policy changes on calls for violence to Russian soldiers apply to Armenia, Azerbaijan, Estonia, Georgia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, and Ukraine, according to one email.

[…] “We are issuing a spirit-of-the-policy allowance to allow T1 violent speech that would otherwise be removed under the Hate Speech policy when: (a) targeting Russian soldiers, EXCEPT prisoners of war, or (b) targeting Russians where it’s clear that the context is the Russian invasion of Ukraine (e.g., content mentions the invasion, self-defense, etc.),” it said in the email. (read more)

The Battle in Mariupol Is Intense and Filled With Western Propaganda – Russian Military Fighting Ukrainian Azov Battalions and Ultranationalists in Eastern Region


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on March 20, 2022 

The picture in Eastern Ukraine is becoming clearer as the residents begin being able to talk openly about the key battleground in Mariupol.

Keep in mind, the western narrative about the battles in Eastern Ukraine are all framed around calling the Ukrainian military, spearheaded by the Azov battalions and the ultranationalists, as the good guys.  Nothing could be further from the truth.  According to increasingly obvious reports, coming from ordinary citizens in/around Mariupol, the Ukrainian army has been using them as human shields and keeping them from evacuating.

There is a lot of war fog surrounding the conflict, however, it is the absence of any pro-Ukraine army sentiment from the local residents that supports the evidence the Ukraine military (Azov Nazi battalion, supported by U.S. and NATO alliance) are actually the bad guys in this region.  The eastern region conflict has been ongoing for years, with Russia supporting the residents and the Ukraine military attacking them.

The Russian army has been fighting the Ukraine military in/around Mariupol while the Azov battalions have kept the citizens captive.  However, the Russians are now surrounding the Ukraine military and slowly clearing each of the surrounding villages allowing the formerly captive people to leave or seek safety.

At least in this part of the conflict, the U.S. and NATO alliance is supporting the brutality against Eastern Ukrainian citizens by supporting the Nazi factions of the Ukraine military.   There is a genocide happening in this region, but it is the Ukraine military, the far-right ultranationalists in the Azov battalions and others doing the killing, not the Russians.

If the residents in Eastern Ukraine do not align with the ultranationalist factions of the Ukraine military and fight the Russians, they are subjected to gross human rights abuses, beatings and threats against their families.  Western nations are supporting this activity and deploying extreme propaganda messaging to cover it up.

There are no pro-Ukraine military stories from the residents in this region of the conflict.  All of the residents in the Eastern Ukraine region, including the city of Mariupol, are saying the Russian military are the liberators of the region.  A Telegram Channel is documenting the evidence – SEE HERE.

Against the reality of that situation in Mariupol, President Zelenskyy, NATO and the western media are promoting a narrative that runs completely counter to what little truth is able to escape from the area.

Within the western propaganda, the Russians are reported to have “taken captives,” with a propaganda spin of Russia setting up concentration camps for the citizens in/around Mariupol.

(MSM) […] Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said the siege of Mariupol would go down in history for what he described as war crimes committed by Russian troops and raised the specter of a “third world war” if negotiations with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin fail.

“To do this to a peaceful city, what the occupiers did, is a terror that will be remembered for centuries to come,” Zelenskyy said in a video address to his nation Sunday.

 Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Russia is killing citizens in Ukraine because its invasion has stalled, describing the tactic as “disgusting.”

“We’ve seen deliberate targeting of cities and towns and civilians throughout the last several weeks,” Austin said on CBS’ “Face The Nation.” (read more)

The propaganda out of the Mariupol battlespace is extreme.

As the Ukrainian military (Azov etc) take up positions in schools and public buildings, any Russian attack against those troops is then called an attack against civilians.  There is zero evidence of that taking place; exactly the opposite is true.  The Ukraine forces in this region are using the citizens as shields and cannon fodder against the Russian forces.

Despite the propaganda, truth is coming out in the form of evidence from the ordinary citizens in the area (SOURCE):

Again, when you are trying to find the truth, the voices on the ground are the most likely source of actual information.  In the example of the area in/around Mariupol, the people who live there are pointing out that the Ukraine military, paramilitary enforcers, and ultranationalists are the terrorists.  The Russians are viewed as the liberators.

Despite how the media is portraying this, there is ZERO evidence from the citizens in/around the area to support the western narrative.  That tells us the locals are up against the totality of western propaganda.

For emphasis…. IN THIS REGION:

♦The anti-Russia stories are all from corporate media, none from citizens.  The anti-Ukraine army stories are all from citizens, none from corporate media.

♦The pro-Ukraine army stories are all from western media, none from citizens.  The pro-Russian army stories are all from citizens, none from western media.  You decide.

FUBAR

Sunday Talks, Mitch McConnell Says Senate Is Fully Behind Joe Biden Escalating War Against Russia Using Ukraine


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on March 20, 2022 

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (U-DC) appears on Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan.  McConnell notes “there may be a few lonely voices off to the side” in congress that are against a war with Russia; however, according to his perspective the “vast majority of the Republican Party” overwhelming supports additional measures to increase U.S. involvement in Ukraine.

In the middle of the interview, Mrs. Brennan notes the DC playbook includes the strongest likelihood of a NATO long term “insurgency campaign” inside Ukraine against Russia if Vladimir Putin is successful.  McConnell notes that congress would support this effort with weapons and logistical support if that was indeed needed.  WATCH:

I’m not sure the “overwhelming majority of Republicans across the country” would necessarily agree with Mitch McConnell, but that doesn’t seem to matter.

Keep an eye on Moldova.  If history teaches us the methods of the State Dept and CIA, we can be assured Moldova is a hotbed of activity right now while the MSM keeps everyone looking at NATO activity in Poland.

Tenuous Winter Wheat Crops Could Become Problematic


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on March 20, 2022 | Sundance

Wheat is an essential grain harvest in the overall food chain.  Winter wheat is planted in October and harvested the following June and July, however, the U.S. crop this year is in a tenuous position because of severe drought in the plains.  Kansas represents about a quarter of the U.S. harvest and is currently suffering through an extended dry season.

Last week, “Kansas Governor Laura Kelly declared a drought emergency, warnings and watches for every county in Kansas on Thursday due to dry conditions causing high fire danger.” (link)

We need to keep an eye on this, and it would be wise to make proactive preparations now for the possibility of a severe shortage.  This potential is what has driven the price of wheat futures, and when combined with the issues in Europe’s largest wheat producer, Russia, there’s a very real possibility of a global shortage of wheat.

The early March warnings are beginning to become more important.  “The world has grown hugely dependent on Ukraine and Russia for their wheat, a crop used in everything from bread to couscous and noodles. The nations account for a quarter of global trade. They are also cheap suppliers, which makes their exports favorites for importers in the Middle East and North Africa, including in Egypt, the world’s biggest wheat buyer.” (link)

Back to the U.S.A:

March 14 (Reuters) – A worsening drought in the southern U.S. Plains is threatening the region’s winter wheat crop just as the Ukraine crisis dents global supplies.

Some farmers in southwestern Kansas, the top U.S. wheat producing state, have not received much measurable rain or snow since October. Winter wheat is planted in autumn, lays dormant in winter and begins sending up green shoots in spring. Proper soil moisture is critical at this stage for the crop to thrive.

More than half of Kansas was classified as under severe drought or worse as of March 8, the driest conditions since 2018, according to the National Drought Mitigation Center. Severe drought is also covering three-quarters of Oklahoma and more than two-thirds of Texas, both of which also are large wheat producers.

Water woes follow a freak December windstorm that swept away some topsoil in parts of the U.S. wheat belt, damaging some cropland.

U.S. hard red winter wheat represents nearly half of the country’s overall wheat production and is milled mainly for bread flour. A reduced crop could further stoke food inflation that the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said was the highest-ever in February. The FAO’s Food Price Index averaged 140.7 points last month, a 20.7% increase from a year earlier and surpassing the 2011 record.

U.S. wheat futures soared to the highest levels in 14 years early last week as the Russia-Ukraine conflict pushed two of the world’s largest wheat exporters out of the market, leaving importing countries scrambling for replacement sources.

Meanwhile, the winter wheat crop in China, the world’s largest producer of the grain, is expected to be among the worst ever after heavy rainfall delayed planting. (read more)

We need to watch this one closely, and it would not be a bad idea to purchase some of your own bread making supplies a little earlier for storage.

Wheat, corn and soybeans are the foundation of the U.S. food supply. They are primarily used as ingredients in processed foods, oils, and are fed to the cattle, hogs, and poultry that supply meat and eggs for the American diet.  When those grain harvests go up in price, the downstream increase in price is far reaching.

Planet Lockdown Interview (Full Interview)


Armstrong Economics Blog/Armstrong in the Media Re-Posted Mar 19, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

Watch Martin Armstrong’s full interview with Planet Lockdown.

Let Them Eat Pie


Armstrong Economics Blog/Humor Re-Posted Mar 19, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

If only they had used a shepherd’s pie!

The Truth Behind Ukraine v Russia – Is the Evil Within?


Armstrong Eonomics Blog/Corruption Re-Posted Mar 18, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

Back in 2014, the people were upset that the US was selecting the new leadership following the fall of Yanukovich. They were told if they revolted against the new regime, that they would receive no support from the West. The revolution was the people but everyone from the US to George Soros were desperately trying to steer things in their direction for regime change.

The Neocons, which included John McCain, have been using Ukraine as the vanguard in a proxy war with Russia. Of course, in military terms, the vanguard is the leading part of an advancing military formation. They are typically the first to die. John McCain was there at Maidan telling the people “I am with you” giving the impression that the United States was standing behind their revolution. YouTube has curiously removed that video to clean up the truth that just maybe the Neocons have been behind this whole mess.

It was the leaked phone call between Victoria Nuland and the Ambassador to Ukraine. Nuland is the chief Neocon that works from inside every administration running a government within a government. That is different from the Deep State which is interested in domestic power. That leaked phone call showed that the Neocons were deciding who should run Ukraine and Biden would be sent in for an at-a-boy to project the image of the full power of the United States was behind them. None of this is ever told to Congress and Congress seems to avoid asking any questions perhaps out of fear. This is NEVER a policy that is ever told to the people no less approved by Congress. It is always a government within our government that hides behind wrapping themselves in the American flag.

The strategy of the Neocons is always to demonize their opponent. McCain propagated the claim that Putin wanted to restore the Soviet Union. Well in 22 years, he has not taken any such steps to restore the borders or communism. Nevertheless, it is good propaganda just as they turned that strategy of hatred against Trump to remove him from office. Trump, like Kennedy, refused to engage in their endless wars. They assassinated Kennedy but demonized Trump and throughout his entire 4 years, all they did was create the fake Russiagate demonizing Russia and Putin in one move.

Of all the officials that Putin named in his sanctions on individuals, the one most curious was Hillary Clinton. I have stated before that the Bankers who engaged in blackmailing Yelstin (see the Forecaster) in their covert attempt to take over Russia was with the approval of Hillary, who is herself a Neocon. Hillary paid for the fictitious Russian dossier to create Russiagate against Trump and it was John McCain for handed it to James Comey to start the FBI investigation. When Comey took in Hillary for questioning, he never took notes to ensure she could never be prosecuted for perjury.

It was John McCain who sponsored the Magnitsky Act as a cover-up for their failed attempt to take over Russia (See documentary Behind the Scenes). Magnitsky was the accountant for Hermitage Capital, not the lawyer, run by Edmon Safra and Bill Browder. Of course, Browder likes to call himself Putin’s Number One Enemy, but Putin did not include him in the list of these sanctions – it was Hillary.

The Neocons cannot sleep at night as long as Russia and China still exist. They have been putting out BS that Russia was losing when Putin was
holding back and had no intention of conquering Ukraine. When Zelensky would not compromise taking his orders from the Neocons, Putin then went on the offensive. That column of tanks was just sitting there as a threat but Zelensky was taking his orders from someone else. Zelensky did nothing but try to get the West involved in WWIII which has been the objective of the Neocons. Zelensky’s Congress speech was another publicity stunt but he could not get the invasion of the West for the military knows well that such a movie will engulf all of Europe.

Putin could have wiped out Ukraine in 3 days. He held back because occupying Ukraine was never his objective and the propaganda from the Neocons that Putin wanted to restore the Soviet Union has been proven to be nonsense. Unfortunately for the Ukrainians, not only were they not winning, they were deliberately used by the Neocons as the vanguard in this desperate attempt to create WWIII to destroy Russia and then China.

The handwriting is on the wall. Zelensky had better take the deal to surrender the two provinces as the Minsk Agreement stated in 2014 for which he was elected to REDUCE tension with Russia, end this idea of joining NATO, and end the bullshit claim on Crimea. He has put his citizens in the line of fire for the Neocons who could care less about the people, their objective is to destroy Russia at any cost. This has not been in the interest of Ukraine. It has been just a proxy fight for the Neocons

It was the leaked phone call between Victoria Nuland and the Ambassador to Ukraine. Nuland is the chief Neocon that works from inside every administration running a government within a government. That is different from the Deep State which is interested in domestic power. That leaked phone call showed that the Neocons were deciding who should run Ukraine and Biden would be sent in for an at-a-boy to project the image of the full power of the United States was behind them. None of this is ever told to Congress and Congress seems to avoid asking any questions perhaps out of fear. This is NEVER a policy that is ever told to the people no less approved by Congress. It is always a government within our government that hides behind wrapping themselves in the American flag.

The strategy of the Neocons is always to demonize their opponent. McCain propagated the claim that Putin wanted to restore the Soviet Union. Well in 22 years, he has not taken any such steps to restore the borders or communism. Nevertheless, it is good propaganda just as they turned that strategy of hatred against Trump to remove him from office. Trump, like Kennedy, refused to engage in their endless wars. They assassinated Kennedy but demonized Trump and throughout his entire 4 years, all they did was create the fake Russiagate demonizing Russia and Putin in one move.

Of all the officials that Putin named in his sanctions on individuals, the one most curious was Hillary Clinton. I have stated before that the Bankers who engaged in blackmailing Yelstin (see the Forecaster) in their covert attempt to take over Russia was with the approval of Hillary, who is herself a Neocon. Hillary paid for the fictitious Russian dossier to create Russiagate against Trump and it was John McCain for handed it to James Comey to start the FBI investigation. When Comey took in Hillary for questioning, he never took notes to ensure she could never be prosecuted for perjury.

It was John McCain who sponsored the Magnitsky Act as a cover-up for their failed attempt to take over Russia (See documentary Behind the Scenes). Magnitsky was the accountant for Hermitage Capital, not the lawyer, run by Edmon Safra and Bill Browder. Of course, Browder likes to call himself Putin’s Number One Enemy, but Putin did not include him in the list of these sanctions – it was Hillary.

The Neocons cannot sleep at night as long as Russia and China still exist. They have been putting out BS that Russia was losing when Putin was
holding back and had no intention of conquering Ukraine. When Zelensky would not compromise taking his orders from the Neocons, Putin then went on the offensive. That column of tanks was just sitting there as a threat but Zelensky was taking his orders from someone else. Zelensky did nothing but try to get the West involved in WWIII which has been the objective of the Neocons. Zelensky’s Congress speech was another publicity stunt but he could not get the invasion of the West for the military knows well that such a movie will engulf all of Europe.

These Neocons are a government within a government. They operate under their own rules and are not subject to oversight. Senator Rubio quickly changed the subject when questioning Victoria Nuland and then subsequently the Senate has been desperately trying to undo that testimony pretending that there is a distinction between a Biolab for Research and a Biolab for weapons.

A gun is just a gun and it has no will of its own. But in the hands of a policeman, it is a defensive weapon but in the hands of a criminal, it is suddenly offensive. Studying a virus and experimenting with gain-of-function caused COVID. There is no distinction and this is all total propaganda to cover up what the Neocons have been doing and will continue to do until they get their way – WWIII.

I support my friends in Ukraine. I hope one day they will get a leader of their own who cares about his own country and its people. Zelensky is not that person. He has been funded covertly through dubious means that link Soros and he has joined the WEF’s Young Global Leaders.

Meanwhile, Putin has delivered a speech that I believe will go down in history with hindsight.  Putin described the end of Western domination and the consequences that will pay for the whole planet. He also announced the end of the oligarchs and the implementation of models of nationalization of some industries. In reality, the sizing of assets in the West of oligarchs thinking that would hurt Putin was just revenge for Bill Browder and it actually strengthened Putin by eliminating people who would perhaps try to fund a revolution against him to keep wealth and control.

Putin in a recent speech on March 17th actually called them “traitors and bastards”, of the “fifth phalanx”, while he spoke of “self-purification of society” in Russia. People do not understand Putin. He really sees himself as a patriot and he puts the country first. When you have wealth, you do not rob a Seven-Eleven. He is seeking a legacy in the history of Russia. Browder was seeking revenge for his seizure of Hermitage Capital and the entire scheme to take over Russia to exploit its gold, platinum, oils, diamonds, and rare earths. As I said, I was solicited to invest $10 billion into Hermitage Capital. So I know the real story and listened to the sales pitch to get me to join, which I declined.

Putin’s latest speech shows that the Neocon narrative is propaganda. Putin is effectively severing Russia from the West’s economy and is seeking more independence and in league with China. He has expressed disgust about how the West is canceling all Russian culture which was exemplified by the NY Met firing an opera singer simply because she was Russian.

Until now, world leaders pursued peace and co-existence. Today, there are no peacemakers. They simply NEED war to cover up the collapse of Keynesian economics and the monetary system of borrowing endlessly with no intention of paying anything back. On top of that, the Neocons preach the evil of Putin in Russia and Xi Jinping in China. However, the very system they created for the EU copies precisely what they claim is evil in Russia and China. The head of the EU does not stand for election by the people. They are appointed by the elite. The European Commission which makes the laws is also NEVER elected. The people only vote for Parliament which has no power to overrule the head of state nor the Commission. Europe lives in a fake world of democracy. THIS IS THEIR DESIGN FOR THE WORLD

So while they DEMONIZE Putin, they want to end democracy even here in the United States promising to retain pretend rights.

Ukraine is just the vanguard and I morn for the Ukrainian people who are simply being used as cannon fodder (those who are regarded as expendable in battle) in this political game to take over the world. While they keep trying to create regime change in Russia and China, perhaps we need someone to stand up against the Neocons right here at home.

The evil is within for it does not matter if we vote Democrat or Republican – they remain in place for both sides.

White House Spokesperson Jen Psaki Gets Very Nervous When Questioned About Joe Biden Financial Conflicts of Interest in Russia, Ukraine and China


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on March 18, 2022 | Sundance 

Joe Biden’s press secretary was questioned today about the Biden family’s well documented dealing with Russian Billionaires, Ukraine officials and Hunter Biden’s deals with China.

The specific question was asking how the White House handles the conflicts of interest when engaging with policy decisions over Russia, Ukraine and China.  White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki nervously attempted to avoid the questions, but her responses shouted guilt. WATCH:

BRICS Is Working, India Purchases 3 million Barrels Russian Crude This Week


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on March 18, 2022 | Sundance

A report in the AP shows the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) trade alliance seems to remain strong despite western sanctions.  India admitted to purchasing 3 million barrels of Russian oil at a 20% discount rate this week.

There’s no mention of how the purchase will be transacted, what currency they would use; however, the top-line story of India refusing to follow western trade sanctions reflects the BRICS alliance is delivering economic results.

[Via AP] – […] NEW DELHI — The state-run Indian Oil Corp. bought 3 million barrels of crude oil from Russia earlier this week to secure its energy needs, resisting Western pressure to avoid such purchases, an Indian government official said Friday.

The official said India has not imposed sanctions against buying oil and will be looking to purchase more from Russia despite calls not to from the U.S. and other countries.

The United States, Britain and other western countries are urging India to avoid buying Russian oil and gas. Indian media reports said Russia was offering a discount on oil purchases of 20% below global benchmark prices.

Such prices have surged in recent weeks, posing a huge burden for countries like India, which imports 85% of the oil it consumes. Its demand is projected to jump 8.2% this year to 5.15 million barrels per day as the economy recovers from the devastation caused by the pandemic. (read more)

(L-R) Chairman Xi Jinping (China), Vladimir Putin (Russia), Jair Bolsonaro (Brazil), Narendra Modi (India) and Cyril Ramaphosa (South Africa), the BRICS group.

 

Planning To Use Oil Crisis, the Global Climate Change Agenda Is Triggered – Biden Declaring Climate Emergency, IEA Proposing Global Economic Changes, AOC and Bernie Sanders Join Drumbeat


Posted originally on the conservative house on March 18, 2022 | Sundance

We could all see this coming.  The Ukraine-Russia conflict creates the opportunity for the Build Back Better initiatives to get triggered.  None of this is happening organically.  All of this is opportunism based on a series of dominos purposefully triggered.  Three government solutions to rising oil prices surface simultaneously in an effort to exploit the crisis they created.

Keep in mind, this economic roadmap was strategically outlined in the World Economic Forum “Build Back Better” initiative, and that was built upon the economic ‘climate change‘ opportunity that COVID-19 created.  The U.S. version of BBB was called the Green New Deal.

First, Biden proposes to trigger a useful “Climate Change Emergency” (LINK).  Second, the International Energy Agency proposes a “Ten Point Plan” to change energy use in the modern society (LINK).  Third, comes AOC and Bernie Sanders with the “Executive Action Agenda” (LINK).

All of this is the fundamental change represented by western government in the agenda of ‘building back better’.

(IEA) In the face of the emerging global energy crisis triggered by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, practical actions by governments and citizens in advanced economies and beyond can achieve significant reductions in oil demand in a matter of months, reducing the risk of a major supply crunch, according to new analysis released by the International Energy Agency today.

These efforts would reduce the price pain being felt by consumers around the world, lessen the economic damage, shrink Russia’s hydrocarbon revenues, and help move oil demand towards a more sustainable pathway.

If fully carried out in advanced economies, the measures recommended by the IEA’s new 10-Point Plan to Cut Oil Use would lower oil demand by 2.7 million barrels a day within four months – equivalent to the oil demand of all the cars in China. This would significantly reduce potential strains at a time when a large amount of Russian supplies may no longer reach the market and the peak demand season of July and August is approaching. The measures would have an even greater effect if adopted in part or in full in emerging economies as well. (more)

AOC and Bernie Sanders [LINK]

(Daily Mail) Progressive Democrats are urging President Joe Biden to take executive action to raise wages, combat climate change, cancel student debt, and lower health care costs.

The Progressive Caucus – led by Rep. Pramila Jayapal and consisting of high-profile liberals like Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar and Senator Bernie Sanders –  outlined their lists of demands they said ‘would provide immediate relief to working people and their families.’ (read more)

(CNN Reports) […]”As a result of Russia’s appalling aggression against Ukraine, the world may well be facing its biggest oil supply shock in decades, with huge implications for our economies and societies,” IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol said in a statement.

The proposals reflect a recognition that the world has few realistic options to quickly replace oil supplies from Russia, the world’s No. 2 oil producer in 2021.  OPEC has signaled it’s in no rush to ramp up production and the release of emergency oil stockpiles has done little to ease shortage fears.

“The US and other IEA countries now realize that the potential loss of Russia’s oil exports constitutes a bigger supply shock than either strategic stock draws or accelerated OPEC+ production hikes can solve,” said Bob McNally, president of consulting firm Rapidan Energy. (read more)