Economic warfare is the best weapon we have
By Andrew Harris
My little four cylinder Ford Transit van cost me about about forty dollars to fill the tank in 2020. Gas prices were at a low due to the lack of demand during the pandemic. As the pandemic ended, demand increased and so did the price, like everything else. The supply still hasn’t caught up, creating world wide inflation.
Today my van took about sixty-three dollars to fill up. That major increase is frustrating, especially considering the most recent increase is due to global oil supply impacted by Putin’s war on Ukraine. I intentionally do not suggest that this a Russian war against Ukraine.
One guy has decided to see how much chaos and heartache he can create across the entire world with one tyrannical decision. The average American feels just as helpless and scared as the top military leaders in both the US and Russia feel. Responding to Putin means responding to the threat of nuclear world war, which would be all of our worst nightmare.
The invasion of Ukraine forces the United States to walk a razor edge: Try and stop Putin but not trigger a nuclear war world war.
You and I can’t send ammo or anti-tank weapons. But we can start fighting against Putin with our pocketbook.
You’ve likely heard the debate over how to handle Russia’s oil and gas exports, of which Europe depends and the United States imports still to this day. The sanctions against Putin and the other oligarchs are intended to punish the perpetrators of the invasion of Ukraine. To just stop purchasing Russian petroleum products all together would also punish European and American people, creating large consequences for the global economy. The average consumer can find a way to live with $5/gallon, but not $7/gallon and in Europe maybe $9/gallon.
Putin has been clear he is launching a generational conflict in Ukraine against Western demands for peace. Many military analysts say this could be a twenty, even thirty year conflict. Considering the oil and gas resources of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, and several other nations in that theatre of war, we should expect a major impact for years to come.
How we react now, and likely also in the future, will play a part in this potentially generational conflict. Our single best weapon against Putin is to become energy independent, especially oil and gas independent. Without sending our military forces and being involved in yet another unwinnable war, the average American can start fighting back now by only purchasing domestic gasoline and natural gas products. By supporting domestic producers like United Refining Company(URC,) every dollar makes the entire nation stronger in the face of Putin.
You might wonder: How do I know where the fuel comes from? How do I support companies like URC and make sure I’m not paying into Putin’s war machine? Regardless of where you live you can visit this site to find gas stations only selling domestic: ww.theamericandriver.com/tca/wheretobuyyourusagas.html
If you live in Allegany County, particularly near Wellsville, just remember this one word: Short’s.
Short’s Oil Company is proud to sell only domestic gasoline and diesel fuel from URC. By spending your money at Short’s you are not only undermining Putin, but supporting Allegany County. The Short family employs dozens and contributes mightily to our local economy(and they have great food and ice cream!!)
If you can’t buy from Short’s, there are other gas stations who only sell US gas. Kwik Fill is owned by the United Refining Company. The Country Fair stations are also all URC gas and stations like Steve’s Gas and Grub Hub in Andover NY sell URC gas under the Keystone brand.
For those who don’t live in Allegany County, refer to the link above to find American gas in your area. Use your dollars as a weapon against Putin while strengthening our national and local economies.
