Oil prices were already skyrocketing anyway which is gonna hurt the Dems midterm election prospects. Banning Russian oil allows Biden to try to reframe the high gas prices as being us sacrificing for Ukraine and freedom or whatever.
Most people, especially Americans, do not give a shit about some war across the planet. Any war, by anyone.
But every day Americans in our car-dependent society drive by countless gas stations and see the number on the sign keep going up. Something they have to buy at least twice a month merely to basically subsist.
They'll be screaming for blood at home by June at the latest.
I don't outright disagree with any of this but from my experience everyone is aware of the war in Ukraine and everyone seems to at least kinda care.
There are multiple billboards with "stand with Ukraine" and buildings lit up with blue and yellow in my area.
Anyone who isn't aware and doesn't care about Ukraine is so disconnected from politics that there's no way they vote and therefore no reason for politicians to care what they think about gas prices
Institutions and individuals who are highly politically-engaged, primarily via the internet and social media. I guarantee you these people make up a very loud minority. At worst, the support of the "majority" of Americans will boil down to pure rhetoric: a "Yes" or "No" answer to simple or leading questions designed by pollsters.
The majority who do care and make a spectacle out of how much they care are also extremely ignorant as to the context of this conflict or what they're asking for - see the protests calling for a "No-Fly Zone" today (AKA nuclear war). These people are a fraction of the group that simply answer Yes or No to a poll.
And the people with an ideological ax to grind? A fraction of that fraction.
I'm struggling to think of anyone who isn't like some CNN dem cheerleader or a neocon who likes this. Trump's base is feverishly anti foreign intervention currently, judging by Tucker. Matt Yglesias-type wonks think this is a mistake with long term economic implications, the progressive base absolutely hate this. I can't think of any relevant group of people that can say "yes this is good" except, like, Hillary, the most lovable person in America.
Also any American so disconnected from the news that they won't hear about Ukraine/Russia or Biden's blaming of gas prices on Russia would be someone who doesn't vote and thus doesn't matter to politicians
I think this was a good political play.
Oil prices were already skyrocketing anyway which is gonna hurt the Dems midterm election prospects. Banning Russian oil allows Biden to try to reframe the high gas prices as being us sacrificing for Ukraine and freedom or whatever.
Idk if it'll work but hey it's worth the try
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If they're sorta white maybe Americans can sacrifice one(1) treat each...
Ukrainians are white so they actually care
Most people, especially Americans, do not give a shit about some war across the planet. Any war, by anyone.
But every day Americans in our car-dependent society drive by countless gas stations and see the number on the sign keep going up. Something they have to buy at least twice a month merely to basically subsist.
They'll be screaming for blood at home by June at the latest.
I don't outright disagree with any of this but from my experience everyone is aware of the war in Ukraine and everyone seems to at least kinda care.
There are multiple billboards with "stand with Ukraine" and buildings lit up with blue and yellow in my area.
Anyone who isn't aware and doesn't care about Ukraine is so disconnected from politics that there's no way they vote and therefore no reason for politicians to care what they think about gas prices
Americans can't even wear a mask for an extended time. I think Americans do care but only as long as it doesn't inconvenience them.
This is a good point. Americans will absolutely 'care' up until it actually means they have to sacrifice anything
However with mask, they were deeply politicized from the beginning and ime plenty of people have had no problem wearing them
Institutions and individuals who are highly politically-engaged, primarily via the internet and social media. I guarantee you these people make up a very loud minority. At worst, the support of the "majority" of Americans will boil down to pure rhetoric: a "Yes" or "No" answer to simple or leading questions designed by pollsters.
The majority who do care and make a spectacle out of how much they care are also extremely ignorant as to the context of this conflict or what they're asking for - see the protests calling for a "No-Fly Zone" today (AKA nuclear war). These people are a fraction of the group that simply answer Yes or No to a poll.
And the people with an ideological ax to grind? A fraction of that fraction.
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I'm struggling to think of anyone who isn't like some CNN dem cheerleader or a neocon who likes this. Trump's base is feverishly anti foreign intervention currently, judging by Tucker. Matt Yglesias-type wonks think this is a mistake with long term economic implications, the progressive base absolutely hate this. I can't think of any relevant group of people that can say "yes this is good" except, like, Hillary, the most lovable person in America.
Yeah it's not that I think many people will find this good. Dem cheerleaders will obviously because they think this is him standing up to Russia.
What i think this actually achieves is to reframe the inevitable rising gas prices to be about fighting russia and fighting for freedom
Oh yeah now I see where you're coming from, I suppose this is true, since Biden has taken it to call it "Putin's hike" as funny as that is.
Americans don't watch the news.
Uhhhh Americans watch a fuck ton of 'news'
Also any American so disconnected from the news that they won't hear about Ukraine/Russia or Biden's blaming of gas prices on Russia would be someone who doesn't vote and thus doesn't matter to politicians