Trying to figure this out.
Brandon asks SA to increase output. SA tells him to go fuck himself unless the oil price goes higher?
So, tough shit for the US pipeline.
No other reason now for Brandon's bullshit other than he's purposely taking away any power/influence US citizens may have and handing it over to demographic groups of his choosing. Those he doesn't feel threatened by.
Have to figure as well that circumspect persons would be using money to buy things before prices increase and not investing or donating to campaigns. Ergo, tax it out of them and hand it over to demographics who will try to invest and donate to campaigns.
Bottom line, for me, is that it's obvious the game is to shift influence from those who are perceptive, adaptable, clever and industrious to those who aren't. IOW, those persons who can say FJB and invent ways to bypass his bullshit mandates. This can't end without an open rebellion of some sort.