Yes, I was never attempting to steelman OP’s argument. I was pointing out the flaws of the argument as it is given.

Steelmanning is a tool that is helpful in many situations, but that does not mean it is useful in every situation. Perhaps there is an ideal version of OP’s argument, a steelman, that I would agree with. But the actual argument that OP laid out is not ideal, it is hypocritical, and I am pointing that out.

A student who gets a poor grade on a paper does not get to go to the professor and ask them to “steelman” their argument for a better grade. The paper is judged as it is written.

This whole post is about OP taking issue with criticism.

OP’s snarky reference to free speech is hypocritical on its face. The entire thesis of their post is to attack criticism, and criticism is a form of free speech.

Pointing out hypocrisy is not a strawman.

Are you sure you aren’t underestimating the huge volume of demand that needs to be destroyed? I believe something like 20%-25% of demand needs to be destroyed, in both the crude and LNG markets.

The last time demand was 20% lower than baseline was during the two worst months of Covid, when the majority of people were staying inside their home

So the question is: how high does the price of oil have to get in order to force people to consume like they did under the worst of Covid?

I’m no economist, but my gut feeling says it will be sustained significantly higher than $160/barrel.

You’re right that material conditions are the main contributing factor in the creation of billionaires, but why do you think it’s the only factor?

There were thousands of individuals who had the right connections, the right age, the right group of friends, etc. Only a small percentage become billionaires. Do you think this selection process is purely luck?

I think there is something that sets apart one class of obscenely-wealthy oligarchs from their slightly-less wealthy counterparts. Maybe it’s sociopathy, or adhd, or extreme greed. It definitely looks like mental illness.

Did you like it when he bombed hospitals?

Did you like it when he promised to pull out, but instead surged troops?

Did you like it when he supported the rise of ISIS in Syria?

Did you like it when he betrayed the Kurds?

Did you like it when he abandoned Egypt’s Mubarek, leading to the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood?

Did you like it when he expanded drone warfare, killing hundreds of innocent people?

Yeah he’s better than trump/Republicans, but his failed policies have normalized the Bush-era crimes and have enabled the Trump-era crimes.

Whitewashing Obama’s disgusting, bloodstained legacy only serves to further degrade our national morality and enable the worst excesses of American fascism.

what they are supposed to be doing

When a federal cop commits a local crime, like for example a murder caught on camera, then it is the local police departments duty to investigate, and the local DA’s duty to prosecute.

When they refuse to investigate and prosecute due to federal pressure, that is an abdication of their duties.

Both sides onviously aren’t the same, one is more evil than the other. But they are both evil.

Obama has the blood of tens of thousands of innocent civilians on his hands, shame on anyone helping him wash.

We did that already, we voted for the people who suck less.

They are letting the GOP run wild.