Even if Russia increases crude oil exports to compensate, virtually all of their gasoline is produced domestically for domestic consumption. That demand isn’t going to just disappear. Every liter that Russia stops producing from these refinery strikes will be imported from other sources.

They will have to Kazakhstan in order to make up the difference (which they have already started, afaik), then prices go up on the global market for gasoline.

For example they’ve been importing from Kazakhstan. Higher demand for gasoline on global market -> higher prices aka inflation.

If gasoline price goes up, there’s economic incentive to buy crude oil to produce gasoline. That raises price of crude oil. You can’t avoid it. It’s all connected. You reduce global production and you raise price.

I’m okay with reducing my gas use and/or paying more for gas in order to keep Putin out of Ukraine. I know that not everybody has room to stretch their dollar, so I don’t mean to come off as callous, but my minor inconvenience is easily worth stopping bombs from hitting civilians in Ukraine. We already know that appeasement doesn’t work. Putin will not stop. Let’s stop letting money decide for us whether we should let monsters thrive.

How much is acceptable to you? Is there a point where it isn’t worth it anymore?

Inflation was around 10% before the federal reserve hiked the interest rates.

Your rent going up $200 every year OK? Grocery bill, gas, etc?

I wonder where people draw the line between acceptable and not acceptable. We’re still feeling the economic effects, just the fed managed to reduce inflation at the cost of other economic pains. For example people buying homes or financing cars is much more expensive now. Or companies are laying people off because credit is more expensive and it’s harder to expand. Big companies like Comcast may choose to wait a few years before building a new fiber network- waiting for rates to go back down. That kills lots of high quality jobs that would have existed otherwise.

How much economic pain is acceptable? You call it an inconvenience and then you call it callous. I believe it is a bit callous, yes.

You and I may be in a good financial position (I’m personally not afraid), but what about the rest of working class America?

There are two directions at this point that the war can develop A) negotiated settlement where Russia annexes territory or B) war between Russia & Western countries.

Do you have a brother? Nephew? Cousin? Would you be willing to sacrifice his life to help Ukraine? Would you be willing to sacrifice your own life?

I ask these things not to say supporting Ukraine is foolish or anything like that, but just to point out that Russia is willing to sacrifice everything for Ukraine. If we are committed to Russia losing, we will need to sacrifice a lot more than we currently are.

If we are not willing to go all the way, what are we even doing in Ukraine?