Trump’s oil aspirations don’t serve him or us
Hoffman Estates, Ailing.: Why did the U.S. invade Venezuela? President Trump has cultivated a chummy relationship with Saudi Arabia. The first Trump liaison to Saudi Arabia is Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, offering his household with connections to huge oil reserves. He has additionally catered to grease firms — and their tens of millions in marketing campaign contributions — with a “drill, child, drill” coverage. His prostrating himself in entrance of Vladimir Putin is now oily and explainable.
Why? Within the Threat board sport in Trump’s head, he’s buying items to finally permit his household to manage worldwide oil markets, permitting him to turn out to be oil-sheik wealthy. Ergo the invasion of Venezuela, the place the world’s largest recognized oil reserves lie. Nonetheless, regardless of political help from the Trump administration, oil and fuel firms want financing for the drilling. If firms don’t have purchaser agreements, these loans gained’t seem. Oil firms have already withdrawn from bidding on Alaska oil fields and have proven skepticism about long-term returns. Additionally, Venezuela’s oil is “soiled” as a result of its heavy, sulfur-rich crude is tougher to refine and extra polluting, resulting in extreme environmental injury. Some international ports even refuse tankers with heavy crude.
Oil is a twentieth century power supply, outmoded and liable for sickening and killing tens of millions of individuals with the potential to kill tens of millions extra. Local weather change has already price billions in property and lives. Oil jobs are being changed with photo voltaic and wind labor. The opposite main powers, Europe and China, are shifting on. So as soon as once more, Trump has been shortsighted. His tack to acquire oil management is doomed. He’s taking part in Threat whereas the world performs chess. Jim Arneberg
Catastrophic precedent
Manhattan: On Jan. 3, the Trump administration and the U.S. navy deposed Nicolás Maduro, who was arrested on drug trafficking expenses. Trump stated the U.S. would run Venezuela and management its oil. His curiosity in controlling oil shouldn’t be new. For years, he criticized the administration of George W. Bush for not holding Iraq’s oil after Halliburton upgraded the oil refineries there. Suppose the U.S. had seized Iraq’s oil. Would the Iraq Struggle have been completely different? There most likely would’ve been better outrage in response to imperialism, particularly from folks pushed out of energy after Saddam Hussein’s elimination. The backlash may’ve worsened the casualties within the nine-year warfare. The fatalities had been horrible sufficient, with an estimated 200,000 civilians and 4,800 U.S. servicemen killed. The Trump administration ought to contemplate whether or not the Venezuelan incursion, primarily based mostly on oil, may backfire and spiral uncontrolled. Darryl P. Miller
Pathological
Morristown, N.J.: I consider that each nation on Earth now is aware of when the president of america is mendacity: His lips transfer! He’s a consummate liar, and I consider he’ll promote our nation down the river to the very best bidder or blackmailer. He and the cowards of Congress must be held accountable within the subsequent election cycle. Please vote. God assist us. Pete Begley
Dictator-friendly
Indian Harbour Seashore, Fla.: Trump seems like he’s engaged on Challenge 2026. Shouldn’t there be a crimson carpet for Maduro? Additionally, an upcoming pardon, per Trump’s current honoring of criminals! John T. O’Connell
Get robust, go inexperienced
Sleepy Hole, N.Y.: Trump kidnapped Venezuela’s president and claimed the nation’s oil for big U.S. oil firms. Oil firms knew in 1977 that burning the stuff was horrible for the well being of the planet and us. The very last thing we’d like is extra oil, and oil firms don’t wish to spend money on Venezuela, an unstable nation the place restoring oil manufacturing will take $100 billion and 10 years a minimum of. Gov. Hochul has no sway over this shoot-aim-ready coverage, however she has an extended method to go to reverse her personal backsliding on low-cost, clear power. Reverting to fuel provides us greater utility payments to pay for brand spanking new pipelines once we have already got a glut of fuel. She’s delaying the Propel transmission line to carry solar energy from upstate to town as a result of there’s not sufficient photo voltaic, slowing photo voltaic improvement for lack of a transmission line. Develop a backbone, Gov. Hochul. Laura Burkhardt
Legislating by lies
Los Angeles: Luckily for the American folks, a full video is obtainable for everybody to witness the horrific homicide in Minnesota of Renee Good by Trump’s ICE thugs. The truth that the video is obtainable has not stopped Trump or members of his administration from mendacity concerning the heinous crime dedicated in opposition to a 37-year-old mom of three. It’s a well-established proven fact that Trump is essentially the most soulless, amoral, documented serial liar within the historical past of our nice nation, and it’s actually superb that by some means Trump has managed to populate his administration with acolytes who’re simply as shameless in telling lies as he’s. It leads one to surprise if it’s important to fail a lie detector check with the intention to be a part of the Trump workforce. Amelia Bissonette
Irrelevant relations
Syosset, L.I.: I notice with amusement the tendency of the media to check with unlawful immigrants and different criminals, and to individuals who use autos as weapons and in any other case assault regulation enforcement, as mothers, dads, grandmas, grandpas, wives and husbands, as if that makes the unlawful conduct OK. For instance, final I regarded, folks like John Gotti and the BTK killer had been dads and husbands. So what? I suppose the media will do no matter linguistic methods they should do to get the language to suit its narrative. Drew Oringer
Scandalous playbook
Kew Gardens: These of us who had been round in 1970 when the Nationwide Guard killed 4 Kent State college students noticed the homicide of Renee Good coming when armed ICE brokers had been despatched into American cities. It was solely a matter of time. In 1970, they known as the useless college students communist infiltrators. In 2026, they name Good a terrorist. Kristi Noem, together with Vice President JD Vance, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Pete Hegseth, to call a couple of, are self-serving opportunists and morons who do no matter Trump tells them. Since Ronald Reagan, this nation and its politicians solely serve the wealthy. The 2 worst organizations in America are the self-serving politicians on each side and the money-seeking, self-serving right-wing non secular conservatives. Watch out, as a result of if you happen to disagree with them, you might get shot and so they’ll name you a terrorist, an immigrant, anti-American, and so forth. Jeff Pullen
Poisonous relationships
Center Village: Why can’t anybody simply be good to one another lately? Robert Chirieleison
We’ll do this
Somerset, N.J.: A Voicer lately predicted that God would burn the world down. I don’t suppose that can be obligatory. The human species is completely able to burning the world down ourselves, and we appear to be getting nearer every single day. Morris D. Fried
Sit again & loosen up
Brooklyn: I like to recommend your readers get a recliner to have a snug place to learn, loosen up and watch TV. Walmart, Ashley Furnishings and Bob’s Furnishings all promote high quality recliners for beneath $300. A recliner is likely one of the greatest investments you can also make to have a contented life. Shlomo Klein
Closed to the general public
Rockaway Park: Congratulations, Mayor Mamdani! I do know you’ve got lots in entrance of you proper now, however together with your eye to elevated public consciousness and common data, would you please have one in all your new appointees look into reopening the library in Rockaway Park? Our stunning seaside library, central to the group, has been closed for greater than two years for “HVAC repairs.” As a substitute of gathering books, it has been gathering cobwebs. All of us know this can be a sham and a disgrace. The applications, literature and PC availability is significantly missed by all age teams. Our many protests garner solely extra lies and delays. Now we have few open public locations through which to work together right here on this peninsula. Please make this a precedence. The Rockaway group will thanks! Maureen McNelis
Alternatives abound
Rego Park: It’s nice being a Boomer in NYC now. There’s a lot to see and do. The Excessive Line, craft workshops (I’m keen on beading), the museums (I may take a look at Andy Warhol’s soup can all day), and don’t overlook to be taught a brand new language. Socializing in NYC can carry its personal dividends. As Joe Buck put it in “Midnight Cowboy”: I’m going to New York, the place the “tutti-frutti” pay for it. Jeff Rosenblatt
