Personally, I think we should enact a law that says that any legislator that proposes a bill that is contrary to the constitution should be immediately removed from office and barred from ever holding office again, and the bill struck down.
The reason I say this is because these clowns take an oath to defend the constitution yet often, especially these days, push bills that are clearly against it. They enforce unconstitutional laws that they pass.
Here is the beauty of having a law like that. Let's say for example some leftist wants to try and get rid of or go around the 2nd amendment. The second they put forth any kind of bill that breaches the right to bear arms, they are immediately removed and the bill is struck down.
It's really kind of a no brainer if you think about it. They take oaths to defend the constitution. How could anyone who was supposedly defending the constitution even right a bill that was clearly against it? It makes no sense. They are in breach of oath as soon as they even consider it.
Err….write not right.
This seems interesting.
Russia's Nord Stream II Pipeline Is Ukraine's Worst Nightmare
Jun 18, 2018
Ukraine is Russia’s gateway into European gas markets. Of the 193 billion cubic meters (bcm) Russia’s state-owned Gazprom pumped westward in 2017 – nearly 40 percent of Europe’s total supply – 93 bcm transited via Ukraine. Moscow, however, wants to change that, diminishing Ukraine’s transit role. Kyiv, on the other hand, hopes to maintain the current arrangement, as transit revenues contribute some USD 2-3 billion annually to the Ukrainian economy (roughly 3 percent of GDP) and act as a buffer against further Russian aggression.
The poor state of Ukraine’s energy sector, which is beset by aging infrastructure, overregulation, uncompetitive pricing, and limited diversity of supply, means that Ukraine is economically and strategically reliant on the Russian gas transit, and is buying Russian-sourced gas and coal despite the state of belligerency between Kyiv and Moscow.
This gas dependence cuts both ways, however. The vast network of pipelines crisscrossing Ukraine (see map) affords Kyiv some geopolitical leverage in its ongoing conflict with Russia, as Moscow needs the uninterrupted revenue stream provided by gas sales to Europe. But Ukraine’s leverage is shrinking fast, with the Gazprom – Naftogaz transit arrangement set to expire January 1, 2020.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/arielcohen/2018/06/18/russias-nord-stream-ii-pipeline-is-ukraines-worst-nightmare/#26765f133524
Now, let's try a little theoretical reasoning. Assume That when this article talks about Ukraine, it's talking about all the corrupt dems like Biden etc pretty much ruling that country. Look at the dollar amounts being generated, "USD 2-3 billion annually."
It seems that Russia did or was trying to bypass Ukraine. Does that help the revenue generation of our corrupt deepstate players? Nope, quite the contrary. What if, THAT was the reason Obummer fought his secret little war with Russia, or at least one of the reasons? If Russia was bypassing their little money maker and reducing their income, it would give him a motive to try and resist it. However, he couldn't do it openly because he was not doing it for the sake of Americans, he was just trying to protect his and his partners little crooked scheme.
Nord Stream
Nord Stream (former names: North Transgas and North European Gas Pipeline; Russian: Северный поток, Severny potok) is a system of offshore natural gas pipelines from Russia to Germany. It includes two lines running from Vyborg to Greifswald forming original Nord Stream (Nord Stream 1), and two lines running from Ust-Luga to Greifswald termed Nord Stream 2. Nord Stream is owned and operated by Nord Stream AG, whose majority shareholder is the Russian state company Gazprom, and Nord Stream 2 is owned and will be operated by Nord Stream 2 AG, a wholly owned subsidiary of Gazprom. The first line of Nord Stream was laid by May 2011 and was inaugurated on 8 November 2011.[1][2] The second line of Nord Stream was laid in 2011–2012 and was inaugurated on 8 October 2012. At 1,222 kilometres (759 mi) in length, Nord Stream is the longest sub-sea pipeline in the world, surpassing the Langeled pipeline.[3][4] Laying Nord Stream 2 was carried out in 2018–2019, and before the imposition of U.S. sanctions which halted the work, it was expected to become operational in mid-2020.[5] Nord Stream has a total annual capacity of 55 billion m3 (1.9×1012 cu ft) of gas, and the addition of Nord Stream 2 is expected to double the capacity to a total of 110 billion m3 (3.9×1012 cu ft).[6][7][8] Both projects have been opposed by the United States as well as several Central and Eastern European countries because of concerns that it would increase Russia's influence in the region. The U.S. resistance of Nord Stream 2 is also influenced by the country's increased production of natural gas, which gives the U.S. Congress economic incentive to resist the Russian supply of gas to the EU, in favour of U.S. shale gas.[9]
The name "Nord Stream" occasionally refers to a wider pipeline network, including the feeding onshore pipeline in the Russian Federation, and further connections in Western Europe.
In June 2015, an agreement to build Nord Stream 2 was signed between Gazprom, Royal Dutch Shell, E.ON, OMV, and Engie.[54] As the creation of a joint venture was blocked by Poland, on 24 April 2017, Uniper, Wintershall, Engie, OMV and Royal Dutch Shell signed a financing agreement with Nord Stream 2 AG, a subsidiary of Gazprom responsible for the development of the Nord Stream 2 project.[55]
On 31 January 2018, Germany granted Nord Stream 2 a permit for construction and operation in German waters and landfall areas near Lubmin.[56] In May 2018 construction started at the Greifswald end point.[57]
In January 2019, the US ambassador in Germany, Richard Grenell, sent letters to companies involved in the construction of Nord Stream 2 urging them to stop working on the project and threatening with the possibility of sanctions.[58]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nord_Stream
Can Iran Reduce EU Dependence on Russian Gas?
According to BP statistics, Iran has the world's largest reserves of natural gas and its fourth-largest reserves of oil. Its strategic geographic position makes it capable of supplying these resources to Europe, its Middle Eastern neighbors, and South and East Asian countries.1 Yet, the difficult geopolitical situation around its nuclear program and the poor management of its energy industry have prevented it from becoming a gas exporter to the European Union (EU).
However, the recent Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) on the Iranian nuclear program and the promising reforms of the Hassan Rouhani administration have created hopes for invigorating Iran's export potential. Iran has not only declared that it plans to take back its share of the world oil market; it has also announced plans to increase its natural-gas exports.2 And as EU-Russian relations deteriorated under the influence of the Ukrainian crisis, Iran is seen as an alternative to Russian gas supplies.
Currently Russia's Gazprom is the largest gas supplier to the European market. After the gas crises of 2006 and 2009, when the supplies that were transported via Ukraine were interrupted, the reliability of Russia as the main exporter to Europe was undermined. At the same time, the European Commission (EC) accuses Gazprom of noncompetitive practices and promotes liberalization of the gas market. Hence, the long-term goal for the EU is to find alternative suppliers and build an internal market, ideally based on the spot-market principle instead of the long-term contracts preferred by Gazprom.
These disagreements led the EC and the European Parliament to study Iran as a possible alternative to Russia. After the JCPOA and the expected lifting of economic sanctions, European companies can return to Iran, and the EU might try to establish closer economic cooperation with Tehran on energy issues.
This article tries to address the question of whether Iran can indeed decrease the EU's dependency on imported Russian gas.
https://mepc.org/journal/can-iran-reduce-eu-dependence-russian-gas
Iran Could Become Major Supplier of Natural Gas to EU
Sept. 13, 2015
BRUSSELS—Iran could become a major supplier of natural gas to the European Union by the end of the next decade, according to new estimates from the bloc’s executive following the nuclear deal reached with Tehran this summer.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/iran-could-become-major-supplier-of-natural-gas-to-eu-1442155324
This one is behind a paywall.
Persian Pipeline
Persian Pipeline, also known as the Pars Pipeline and Iran–Europe pipeline (Persian: ), is a proposed natural gas pipeline to transfer Iranian gas from the Persian Gulf to European markets.[1]
This planned pipeline will connect Iran's South Pars gas field with Turkey and then with European markets. It would consist of two principal sections:
Iranian section, also is called Iran Gas Trunkline 9 or IGAT-9, starting in Asaluyeh will transport gas from South Pars gas field to the city of Bazargan at the border with Turkey.[2][3]
The European section, which will cross Turkey, passing on to Greece and Italy.[2][3] In Italy the pipeline would be split:the northern branch will run to Switzerland, Austria and Germany, while southern branch will supply France and Spain.[4][5][6] It is not clear if the Trans Adriatic Pipeline, foreseen for Iran gas export to Europe, would be part of this project or not.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Pipeline
Russia’s Gas Web Ensnares Europe
APRIL 17, 2019
New pipeline projects throughout the Middle East could boost Russian influence there while also ensuring the country’s role as the prime supplier of energy to Europe.
As Washington readies itself for a diminished role in the Middle East, Moscow is laying the groundwork for a significant long-term presence. By acquiring pipelines and exploration rights in Turkey, Iraq, Lebanon, and Syria, Russia is building a land bridge to Europe through the
Middle East. In doing so, it will cement its role as Europe’s primary gas supplier and expand its influence in the Middle East, posing serious risks to U.S. and European interests.
Russia already supplies 35 percent of Europe’s total gas imports, and it has long worked to head off any European efforts to diversify energy supplies. Here, Russia also has to worry about its abysmal relations with Ukraine—the conduit for most of its Europe-bound exports. Building an energy transit network through the Middle East would allow Moscow to stay in the game.
https://foreignpolicy.com/2019/04/17/russias-gas-web-ensnares-europe/
Is the fight over a gas pipeline fuelling the world’s bloodiest conflict?
DECEMBER 2, 2015
THE Syrian war often seems like a big confusing mess but one factor that is not often mentioned could be the key to unlocking the conflict.
Some experts have pointed out that many of the key players have one thing in common: a billion-dollar gas pipeline.
Factor in this detail and suddenly the war begins to make more sense, here’s how it works:
IT’S THE GAS, STUPID
Many have questioned why Russia became involved in the Syrian war but often overlook the fight over natural gas.
As Harvard Professor Mitchell A Orenstein and George Romer wrote last month inForeign Affairs, Russia currently supplies Europe with a quarter of the gas it uses for heating, cooking, fuel and other activities.
In fact 80 per cent of the gas that Russian state-controlled company Gazprom produces is sold to Europe, so maintaining this crucial market is very important.
But Europe doesn’t like being so reliant on Russia for fuel and has been trying to reduce its dependence. It’s a move that is supported by the United States as it would weaken Russian influence over Europe.
This has not gone down well with Russia, which uses its power over gas as political leverage and has a history of cutting off supply to countries during conflicts. It has even gone to war in Georgia and Ukraine to disrupt plans to export gas from other parts of the Middle East.
As David Dalton, the editor of the Economist Intelligence Unit, told The New York Times: “Russia has always used gas as an instrument of influence. The more you owe Gazprom, the more they think they can turn the screws.”
Much of Russia’s power comes from established pipelines used to transport gas to Europe cheaply. But other countries are now trying to get around Russia and provide new sources of gas to Europe.
Last year US President Barack Obama spoke openly about the need for Europe to reduce its reliance on Russian gas following the conflict in Ukraine.
https://www.news.com.au/world/middle-east/is-the-fight-over-a-gas-pipeline-fuelling-the-worlds-bloodiest-conflict/news-story/74efcba9554c10bd35e280b63a9afb74
I think I may have just figured out the Godfather III connection. In the movie, he's trying to get legit business going using his corrupt assets. However, he doesn't give up his other methods of generating income, why would he? Moar is moar right? Why ruin a perfectly good revenue stream? You just distance yourself from it and have minions run that part of your organization.
Exactly. So after some time you have your son or daughter take over the, "legit," businesses and since they seemingly have no connections with organized crime, especially after a generation or two, they are completely insulated and appear legit.
You don't think all those digs on natural gas to be notable?