It’s Wednesday…
President Biden’s public schedule for 05/29/2024:
| 10:00 AM | In-Town Pool Call Time |
| 11:00 AM | Out-of-Town Pool Call Time Joint Base Andrews Overhang |
| 11:50 AM | The President departs the White House en route to Joint Base Andrews |
| 12:10 PM | The President departs Joint Base Andrews en route to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania |
| 12:30 PM Press Gaggle | Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Gaggle Aboard Air Force One |
| 12:55 PM | The President arrives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia International Airport |
| 1:30 PM | The President and The Vice President participate in a campaign event |
| 3:15 PM | The President participates in a campaign event |
| 4:40 PM | The President departs Philadelphia, Pennsylvania en route to Wilmington, Delaware |
| 4:55 PM | The President arrives in Wilmington, Delaware |
Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Gaggle Aboard Air Force One @12:30 p.m. D.C., time:
From the Joe Biden campaign YouTube…
Black Voters For Biden-Harris Coalition Launch @1:30 p.m. D.C., time:
Two Tweets
From Tuesday…
Gas prices are down $1.40 from their peak after Russia’s war, but they’re still too high.
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 28, 2024
My Administration is releasing 1 million barrels of gasoline from the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve ahead of July 4th, which will lower prices at the pump when folks need it the most.
Ahead of Memorial Day Gas Buddy Guy aka Patrick De Haan tweeted this…
you haven’t checked US oil production lately it seems. we’re by far the world’s largest producer. in addition, even Trump wanted to shut down this silly gasoline reserve. taxpayers have spent $200 million maintaining it after 10 years. the gasoline is worth $103 million. https://t.co/G2OyakpW3o
— Patrick De Haan ⛽️📊 (@GasBuddyGuy) May 22, 2024
So, I did some digging cause I will be honest, I had no idea that in 2014, the US created the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve. It was created in response to Super Storm Sandy according to a Reuters article posted on 05/21/2024.
I went further back in Gas Buddy’s feed…
Today, the DOE announced it’s shutting down the NGSR, which only served the Northeast- the important context is that Trump’s 2020 budget proposal ALSO included shutting down the NGSR as well as selling 15 million barrels from the SPR. pic.twitter.com/dBP9bafsGd
— Patrick De Haan ⛽️📊 (@GasBuddyGuy) May 21, 2024
Here’s the press release from the Department of Energy
Today, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Petroleum Reserves announced a solicitation for the sale and liquidation of 1 million barrels (42 million gallons) of gasoline in the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve (NGSR). This solicitation is strategically timed and structured to maximize its impact on gasoline prices, helping to lower prices at the pump as Americans hit the road this summer.
“The Biden-Harris Administration is laser focused on lowering prices at the pump for American families, especially as drivers hit the road for summer driving season,” said U.S. Secretary of Energy Jennifer M. Granholm. “By strategically releasing this reserve in between Memorial Day and July 4th, we are ensuring sufficient supply flows to the tri-state and northeast at a time hardworking Americans need it the most.”
The awarded entities, likely made up of retailers and terminals, from this sale will have the fuel transferred or delivered no later than June 30, 2024, just in time for the July 4 holiday. In 2024, in accordance with the Consolidated Appropriations Act, DOE will sell close to 1 million barrels of gasoline from the following NGSR storage sites:
Energy.gov. 05/21/2024.
- Port Reading, NJ (900,000 bbl)
- South Portland, ME (98,824 bbl)
The volumes will be allocated in quantities of 100,000 barrels. This approach will ensure a competitive bidding process that both fuel retailers and terminal holders can participate in – ensuring this product can flow into local retailers ahead of the Fourth of July 4 holiday and that it will be sold at competitive prices, helping lower costs for American families and consumers.
Bids for the solicitation are due no later than 11:00 a.m. Central Time on May 28, 2024. Revenues from the sale will be deposited to the Treasury.
The sale of this Government controlled stock will release nearly 1 million barrels (42 million gallons) of gasoline blendstock into the commercial market for use at their discretion. Contracts resulting from this sale shall be subject to contract price adjustment as set forth in the Supplements and Amendments to the Standard Sales Provisions (SSP).
This Notice of Sale contains the terms and conditions of the sale and specific instructions for preparation and submittal of offers.
For more information on the NGSR please visit the NGSR website.
Energy.gov. 05/21/2024.
Still scrolling in Gas Buddy’s feed I saw this one…
$200 million: the total estimated cost of operating the Northeast Gasoline Supply Reserve since it was built
— Patrick De Haan ⛽️📊 (@GasBuddyGuy) May 22, 2024
$103 million: the total current value of the 42 million gallons of gasoline it contains.
Shut it down. It’s silly.
Still digging and reading a bunch of Gas Buddy Guys “fighting” with people I saw this…
It’s clear that the Biden Administration only cares about the American people’s concerns when it’s time to beg for their votes.
— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) May 22, 2024
Disgraceful. https://t.co/bL1WXCRL1X
When I saw the above tweet Community Notes hadn’t Community Noted…
So, back to Gas Buddy I went, cause seems important context that the last round of spending bills included selling and shutting down the Northeast Gasoline Reserve, plus I won’t lie, it made the tax payer cost tweet from Gas Buddy Guy make more sense…
Anyhoo, I finally saw this one…
https://t.co/8xShOIz712 https://t.co/dpNQL5rNAy pic.twitter.com/cPvVfZYbLc
— Patrick De Haan ⛽️📊 (@GasBuddyGuy) May 25, 2024
So to make a long story short; Congress demanded the sale and shutting down of the costly with little benefit Northeast Gasoline Reserve; President Biden timed that shutting down to benefit his campaign and possibly drivers during July 4th, 2024.
This is where I really hate 2024 politics; both sides could claim a victory here:
- Republicans could say we demanded it be shutdown to cut tax payer spending
- Democrats could say we did this for the American people’s wallets
In the olden political days that’s what “we” called a “win-win”.
But instead some Republicans and MAGA’s are bitching and trying to say “Biden’s threatening our National Security” and confusing SPR with the Northeast Gasoline Reserve, which aren’t the same thing…
Thoughts and prayers are not enough.
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 28, 2024
It’s time for an assault weapons ban. pic.twitter.com/rL0VRDJwZk
As near as I can tell this is just a Presidential Campaign Tweet.
Congratulations, West Point Class of 2024 Tweet
From Wednesday…
On their first day at West Point, 1,036 graduates took an oath to the Constitution of the United States to defend against all enemies foreign and domestic.
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 29, 2024
Those who came before you have never failed us. And neither will you.
Congratulations, Class of 2024. pic.twitter.com/BWT1LMPqJK
The video clip is 1 minute and 12 seconds long.
Remarks by President Biden in Commencement Address to the United States Military Academy at West Point | West Point, NY; the YouTube is 2 hours and 38 minutes long.
Ever since, men and women of West Point have stayed true to this mission. And today, 1,036 graduates of the Class of 2024 will join the Long Gray Line that has never failed us and never, ever will. (Applause.)
[snip]
Cadets, let me close with this. In the early days of our nation, as General Washington said, West Point was the “key of America.” Today, you’re still the key because of your commitment to protect what makes America “America.”
[snip]
Hold fast to your honor code, which says, quote, “We will not lie, steal, or cheat, nor tolerate those who do,” end of quote.
And above all, hold fast to your oath. On your very first day at West Point, you raised your right hands and took an oath — not to a political party, not to a president, but to the Constitution of the United States of America — against all enemies, foreign and domestic. (Applause.)
[snip]
As your Commander-in-Chief, let me say again: Congratulations. You’ve earned every bit of what you’ve (inaudible) going to get today.
Congratulations, Class of 2024. (Applause.)
Remarks by President Biden in Commencement Address to the United States Military Academy at West Point | West Point, NY. 05/25/2024.
“New” from the White House…
05/28/2024:
05/29/2024:
This is an open thread
