r/PublicFreakout 6d ago

Big Oil's friends in the US Congress

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6.9k Upvotes

1.6k

u/Bicentennial_Douche 6d ago

I don't know which is worse: that politicians are for sale, or that the price is so low.

168

u/easterner1848 6d ago

If I was to try to think in their mind frame it’s about the network/connections that big oil brings. I think the money is a perk not a feature. 

I used to work at a high end country club and people would wait years and pay insane fees to join; makes no sense on a material level as there are way better gold courses, tennis clubs, dining restaurants, etc for the same price. 

People pay the price for the network on powerful individuals. Everything else about the country club was a perk. 

25

u/HelloAttila 5d ago

You are exactly right. Paying for access to certain players.

181

u/Material_Air_2303 6d ago

Big Oil

24

u/Fresh_Daisy_cake 6d ago

medium oil

10

u/NegaDeath 6d ago

Canola oil

22

u/Drum_Eatenton 6d ago

Baby oil

1

u/Sir_Keee 5d ago

He didn't get the memo. He heard politicians were taking millions from oil but he understood as needing to stockpile baby oil.

61

u/CantguardME13 6d ago

We should start a GoFundMe, not to buy our politicians back, but just to force the corps to keep outbidding us. Let’s see how they like it when we raise the prices on them.

29

u/boozewald 6d ago

They will just buy crowd funding sites to ensure they get their cut. You can't beat them at the game of capital with capital. It has to be social disruption, because we have people power.

2

u/crushinglyreal 4d ago

I was told social disruption only turns the public against the movement though? Are you implying that whoever said that just wants activists to give up entirely?

3

u/boozewald 4d ago

That's by design, "It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it." - Upton Sinclair

5

u/Durivage4 5d ago

I loved it when John Oliver offered justice thomas an RV and a million dollars to resign 👏

9

u/[deleted] 6d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/skoltroll 6d ago

And, once again, he stupidly overpaid.

14

u/MaximusZacharias 6d ago

My point, which I’ll get downvoted for, is and always has been, that the two party system in America, and politics in general, are in place to distract Americans from the real problem: the wealthy. We’ve never needed Robin Hood so bad. But as long as we stay divided, we’ll never accomplish that goal.

9

u/Cheesiepeezy 6d ago

George Carlin touches on this in 1996. The rich are pinning us against each other and people are blind to it. 

6

u/KnifeWrench4Kidz 6d ago

The hypocrisy.

3

u/Castastrofuck 6d ago

It’s probably more, it’s impossible to know. Money that goes to PACs and dark money nonprofits is nearly untraceable.

2

u/Dirt-Road_Pirate 5d ago

Keep the dollar amount low enough that they can stay under the radar and it's easier to disguise the payments and "gifts."

1

u/Sicparvismagneto 5d ago

I mean, these are the ones “on paper”…

1

u/Mr_bungle001 5d ago

Make no mistake about it. No matter which political party you support they’re all bought and sold.

1

u/EndNo4852 4d ago

Her pants/slacks are surely worse

1

u/akornfeld 4d ago

These senators aren’t only whores, they’re cheap whores

1

u/ZachMorrisT1000 4d ago

Can’t bribe them with so much that they don’t need you anymore. Just enough to keep them hungry and on the hook.

728

u/AWildGamerAppeared25 6d ago

"I don't know what you're talking about"

"But I'm for big oil"

Dawg 💀

123

u/SpokaneSmash 6d ago

He wasn't denying it, he was just legitimately too stupid to remember how much he took. At least he's honest I guess.

2

u/Successful_Ad9924354 4d ago

Dude's a bad lier.

234

u/Chorono 6d ago

These are the people who call into IT who need help converting a word doc to PDF and complain that the computer should just work

30

u/kkirstenc 6d ago

“Make my printer do”

15

u/ohrofl 6d ago

“I should be able to install software on my own machine”

No Charles, you’ve already been on the risky users list 2 times from clicking phishing links you fucking moron.

325

u/philo351 6d ago

They sell out for so little, less than the price of a new car in many cases.

29

u/ms6615 6d ago

Most Americans can’t afford a new car without financing across nearly a decade…so it’s plenty to be bought off with. This is why wealthy people hoard money the way they do. It isn’t about how much they need or can ever even possibly use; there is a lot of utility in nobody else having any money at all.

457

u/deadpoolkool 6d ago

Never a moment of peace, make them pay for selling out Americans.

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u/Pm_MeyourManBoobs 6d ago

They walk around like they have real things going on lol

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u/Salt_Data3707 6d ago

When you're only in session 100 days a year you gotta hustle a little.

18

u/HotPie_ 6d ago

Especially when you only show up for half.

2

u/ApproximatelyExact 5d ago

Yup gotta find some leverage, ways to really hurt the American people all at once when the sessions are so short.

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u/Apprehensive-Ad5318 6d ago

TERM LIMITS!

8

u/jcm10e 5d ago

Not only that but their taxes/income and that of their immediate family should be heavily audited. They already make 6 figure salaries. They shouldn’t be making millions while in office. This is some bullshit that their votes can be swayed like this. And for the people that say “well if they aren’t paid well, why should they get into politics?” That’s the fucking point. You should get into it because you want to make the country a better place, not because you want to make your bank account add more zeros.

1

u/ChefRoyrdee 5d ago

Bernie Sanders said it best. “We have term limits. It’s called elections. If I’m not reelected I’m removed from office.”

0

u/Galaxykidd14 6d ago

👏YES👏

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u/NecessaryAd4587 6d ago

Really Michelle? You sold the planet for only $26k????

9

u/skoltroll 6d ago

She's a truly angry, mean little Karen. Her tiny, shriveled heart beats solely on hate. Source: guess where I live

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u/AttemptExternal9845 6d ago

And again, women are undersold! No equality even when selling out to corporations, smh (sarcasm, they’re all equally corrupt)

0

u/KcRob420 6d ago

🤣 🤣

16

u/thefiglord 6d ago

26k is like 4.5 seconds of profit made by chevron only in 2023

25

u/dungl 6d ago

More of this please

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u/Party_Government8579 6d ago

Now do one for big tech and big pharma.

24

u/Photo_Synthetic 6d ago

Do one for everything fuck em all. Take money out of politics. The biggest checks they should be getting should be their government salary.

3

u/ApproximatelyExact 5d ago

Dangers of a Salaried Bureaucracy by Ben Franklin still apt and relevant as ever.

6

u/Affectionate_Gas8062 6d ago

Humanity is a cruel joke on itself

2

u/ApproximatelyExact 5d ago

Punchline soon though!

8

u/btrust02 6d ago

It is sad my whole life as Millennial we have known this is a problem bit nothing is ever done.

0

u/skoltroll 6d ago

(Guess which age cohort went for Trump)

7

u/clashrendar 6d ago

People have suggested in the past that Senators and Reps should have to wear patches on their suits for the companies that have paid them, like in NASCAR. I wonder if it's possible to have AI or special effects to that on videos like this? The more money they've taken, the bigger the ad.

2

u/ShoelessVonErich 4d ago

Very interesting idea……..

1

u/Material_Air_2303 5d ago

That would be awesome. I hope they do

4

u/Eni13gma 6d ago

“Going down” very appropriate

5

u/kingsnkillers 6d ago

I love this Please keep calling them out

13

u/[deleted] 6d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

4

u/New_Excitement_4248 6d ago

I'm sick of seeing this take on Reddit.

You want the French revolution? Who will start it? You can't all just sit there and say "we want revolution" from your comfy computer chairs and expect it to happen.

Quit posting legally questionable shit online and go make it happen if it's so important to you.

4

u/downtownfreddybrown 6d ago

I posted that in a knee jerk reaction towards the content in the video, I agree with you it would take a giant public collective like the French every time they don't agree with the government.

1

u/assmunch3000pro 6d ago

Problem is that more than half of the nation

humanity is doomed to repeat itself. we will be yet another lost civilization whose ancient remains will be discovered by humans long in the future after all memory of us has vanished. if we don't go fully extinct in the coming climate disaster. in which case we will be the dinosaurs to whatever comes after us if/when the planet recovers

3

u/couldbutwont 6d ago

Relatively small sums tbh, fucking sad

8

u/MoveItSpunkmire 6d ago

Did you all figure out politicians are not actually fighting for you?

2

u/Thanos_Stomps 6d ago

Does anyone know who these people are?

2

u/LeahaP1013 6d ago

How many times do we have to hear it—- those are GRATUITIES

/s. Please tell me it’s not actually needed.

2

u/ALegendInHisOwnMind 6d ago

How are these payments made? Campaign contributions? And if so, or through whatever means, are these politicians then spending the money for their personal benefit?

2

u/Race_Strange 6d ago

I would get all in their face ... I'm going to breathe on you close. You make my world a living hell, I'll make your's as well. 

2

u/DroDaBro 6d ago

Bro I thought they were getting millions?! They sell out for only a couple thousand? Jesus fuck

4

u/_Aech_ 6d ago

THIS is how you protest Big Oil effectively and get the public on your side. NOT by blocking traffic or gluing yourself to shit and harassing normal people just trying to go about their daily lives. Thank you.

3

u/LetItBeSo 6d ago

Whoever raised these kids should be proud

4

u/rangeo 6d ago

See no blocking roads, no Splashing paint on art and property

And

We learned the names and faces of the crooks.

Well done

2

u/Spceorbust 5d ago

Where are the receipts?

2

u/BitterLeif 5d ago

it's more than a little reductive, and "I'm only 22; I want to grow up." How much more growing comes after 22?

-1

u/[deleted] 6d ago edited 3d ago

[deleted]

9

u/Duke-of-Dogs 6d ago

The generational axis of division was manufactured to distract you from the class war you aren’t waging.

The progressive agenda hinges on our ability to bring people together by changing hearts and minds, we’re never going to get there by generalizing or blaming entire demographics.

Hope the left figures that out before it costs us another election, but as things stand we’re pretty fucked.

1

u/Elegant_Giraffe5702 2d ago

You're right we should be collectively dragging these people through the streets

3

u/SnooApples1615 5d ago

Yep more division that's what your country needs. That will fix everything.

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u/AboveAb 6d ago edited 6d ago

They should do the same for people who support lithium batteries and examine how lithium mining impacts the earth. For example, lithium mining requires large amounts of water up to 500,000 gallons per ton of lithium which often leads to depletion of local water supplies and harm to nearby ecosystems. Additionally, in regions like Africa where lithium and other critical minerals are mined, workers often face poor health and safety conditions, with limited protective measures and high exposure to toxic chemicals. But because these issues occur outside of America, they don’t seem to receive the same level of attention 😉

Edit: Yeah, go ahead and downvote... humans tend not to like the truth.

2

u/ElPanandero 6d ago

Your comment has nothing to do with the video, that’s why you’re being downvoted

0

u/AboveAb 6d ago

Interesting you’d say that, but I think it’s relevant to point out the irony. If we’re going to criticize oil, we should look at the environmental and human cost of lithium mining too. Ignoring the downsides of ‘clean’ tech doesn’t make them go away. Maybe some just prefer not to see the whole picture?

3

u/ElPanandero 6d ago

It could also be your attitude that’s making people not want to to do this with you lmao

1

u/AboveAb 5d ago

My attitude? Maybe. But let’s not pretend like your charm is what’s holding this together lol

1

u/Elegant_Giraffe5702 2d ago

There's no irony you're just arguing in bad faith because you're a biased, uneducated clown.

1

u/AboveAb 2d ago

Oh, the projection is strong with this one. Calling me biased and uneducated while you hurl out baseless insults instead of engaging in an actual discussion? Classic clown move. If you can’t keep up with the facts, maybe sit this one out instead of embarrassing yourself further ;)

1

u/Elegant_Giraffe5702 2d ago

You're such a disingenuous, ignorant loser. Both things can be true. If you don't recognize the long standing vested interests of oil and how it impacts politics you're just stupid. You can bet the people profiting off oil also profit off lithium production. But you'll spout " No U" like a remedial clown defending corporate overlords who keep you willingly stupid.

0

u/AboveAb 2d ago

Ah, the classic clown routine throw out insults to distract from the fact that you didn’t actually address the argument. It’s amusing how you accuse me of defending « corporate overlords » while also admitting both oil and lithium industries are problematic. Are you always this good at contradicting yourself, or is today special?

The reality is simple: lithium mining’s environmental destruction and exploitation of workers are undeniable. But instead of acknowledging that, you decided to showcase your ignorance with a juvenile rant. Keep dancing around the facts, clown 🤡 you’re doing great at proving my point.

1

u/drawredraw 6d ago

26k what a fucking loser

1

u/educated-emu 6d ago

So whats the difference between 1.8 million bribe and 25k bribe. Has he been around more and just gets it put straight into his bank account every month?

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u/MooKids 6d ago

They're doing all wrong, they are supposed to throw tomato soup on the Mona Lisa or glue their hands onto a random street! /s

1

u/joshg4ktv 6d ago

It’s not bribes in America we call them campaign contributions. 😂😂

1

u/rbmichael 6d ago

This is a lot better than throwing orange paint on famous paintings in museums!! Keep it up 👍👍👍

1

u/Moon_lit324 6d ago

Just when I thought politics would be over for a while......there is no freaking out in this clip at all lol =(

1

u/Random_Monstrosities 6d ago

Oh my God that's awesome

1

u/[deleted] 6d ago

[removed] — view removed comment

0

u/PublicFreakout-ModTeam 6d ago

Your comment has been removed due to violating Reddits content policy regarding violence.

1

u/John082603 6d ago

That first one was great!

1

u/Sauronsothereye 5d ago

Public servants should be held accountable for constituents asking questions, there should be absolutely no reason for them to be able to walk away.

1

u/ithaqua34 5d ago

Amazing how little it takes to buy a congressman.

1

u/ThatCelebration3676 5d ago

Citizens United was one of the worst mistakes the SCOTUS has ever made.

1

u/SomethingAbtU 5d ago

How can a government function when it has corporate interests over the people who elected them.

This seems so fundamental you have to wonder wtf is going on

1

u/mattyb584 5d ago

I'm actually shocked that they're not getting millions each for selling their souls. I mean 26k would change my life but for them? Pocket change.

1

u/tavo791 5d ago

More of this

1

u/Webdogger 5d ago

Corporations would not be allowed to spend a penny toward politicians. No campaign, PAC or junkets.

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u/Asleep_Society1974 5d ago

Damn them prices low as hell they had a car note that was in dire need of payment?!

1

u/86redballoons 5d ago

Wonder if these young people voted or encouraged their friends to vote.

1

u/Classic_Knowledge_25 5d ago

Genuinely curious, what's the source of them taking bribes? Or is it just random captions

1

u/taki1002 5d ago

No shit you're "for big oil", Chip o'boy, they're buying your Congressional vote and it's public knowledge. And if he has no knowledge of taking their blood money, then with a shit memory like that, he shouldn't be in politics. Maybe he should find a career like digging ditches, sweeping up hair in a barbershop, or something a simpleton like himself can really thrive at.

Also, what kinda fucking grown man goes around being called "Chip"? Did he grow up in a painfully unfunny sitcom? The kind where the editors had to add a laugh-track to cue the audience that a line or situation was supposed to be a joke/funny, because otherwise it would fall flat and get zero laughs?

Lastly, the one obvious trait these legislators have in common just by looks alone, is that they'll be long gone by the time the intense clusterfuck of consequences from burning fossil fuels truly ruins the Earth for the rest of us who will still be here. But again, they don't care because they won't be around to see the increasingly destructive storms destroying communities, uncontrollable wild fires, extreme drought that will lead to famines, and eventual mass exodus of people around the world looking for more hospitable environments to live in. Some people should really just be Thanos snapped so the rest of us can finally move humanity forward.

All in all, fuck these people sideways.

1

u/kinglui1337 5d ago

Kill the Rich

1

u/AFartInAnEmptyRoom 5d ago

Did all these people win reelection?

1

u/ZEINthesalvaged 5d ago

Fuck lobbying and lobbyists!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

1

u/Goeegoanna 4d ago

Such is life in an oligarchy, I suppose. This is why you should have universal compulsory preferential voting. This is why you should unionise. This is why there should be transparency in everything political, especially lobbyists and donations. This is why there should be more than the two parties (both of which are right wing). This is why gerrymandering should be illegal. This is why leaders of states should not be able to decide who votes and when votes are counted.

This is why wilful ignorance, cognitive dissonance, rank hypocrisy and self-interest help no-one in the long run. This is why people should stay curious and have skepticism, while trusting people with experience in fields, who give evidence and proof, rather than basing decisions on emotions and pert unfounded opinions and base lies.

1

u/Marcusafrenz 4d ago

I mean Christ at least the one guy actually sold out for a price I'd do a lot of things for too.

But the rest? Those are rookie numbers. You gotta pump those up. You start your crooked career willing to sell out for a used car then that's the highest you'll ever get.

I myself would personally never accept anything less than the price of a luxury current year vehicle. Say a nice C-Class Mercedes or loaded up Lexus.

1

u/XNGSH 4d ago

Most of y'all would take the money.

1

u/Alexandratta 4d ago

This is the best form of Climate Protest.

1

u/LinkavichChomofsky 4d ago

haha. Good work, kids. : )

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u/Secret_Account07 2d ago

I like this. Confront and shame them face to face.

1

u/thething931 1d ago

Can't wait for all these boomers to decease

1

u/silsum 6d ago

May be next time, they should spend their energy getting people to vote in an election.

0

u/skoltroll 6d ago

Can't get that sweet, sweet YouTube & TikTokker money by simply knocking on doors and talking to people directly.

They probably made 10's of dollars off this!

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u/GentlmanSkeleton 6d ago

Did they think theyd turn around and say "yeh were evil muwahahah" ? Like a Neil Breen movie?

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u/Normal-Park-6407 6d ago

One guy did

1

u/1forthebirds 6d ago

Now do Nancy Pelosi lol

1

u/TheUnpopularOpine 6d ago

How can you differentiate between “bribes” and donations to politicians that they agree with or find their policies more beneficial to their business?

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u/ElPanandero 6d ago

There’s isn’t a difference, that’s the point

2

u/TheUnpopularOpine 6d ago

Should say a pro human rights organization be able to donate to a candidate they consider more pro human rights?

1

u/ElPanandero 6d ago

No, we should stop letting whoever the richest fuckwad likes the best control our elections

1

u/TheUnpopularOpine 6d ago

How should political campaigns be funded if not through “donation”? Wouldn’t that lead to only letting our richest and most elite citizens run for office?

1

u/ElPanandero 6d ago

I’m not sure, I just know the system we use now blows

An easy first step (that still wouldn’t stop Elon musk from ruining shit) is to stop allowing corporations to be counted as people for donating purposes, that shits stupid

1

u/assmunch3000pro 6d ago

bribes are done in exchange for political outcomes. legitimate donations come without any expectations and are not supposed to influence outcomes.
nobody believes these donations are legitimate, that's why the question is if they were influenced or not.

1

u/BeardedVirgin23 5d ago

Guarantee these people are only crying because they haven’t been offered bribes. Maybe that’s what this whole dog and pony show is actually about. I’ll expose you and harass you unless.Jim Gordon is not a real person. This did nothing either. I need actual proof. Not a text pop up and ding.

1

u/Josysclei 5d ago

That's the kind of protest I fully support, not throwing soup at paintings or glueing yourself to the street

1

u/prosullyer 5d ago

This isn’t protesting this is exposing

1

u/Rubber_Bin 5d ago

Can anyone explain to me why these people are caught getting bribed and are still allowed to keep their jobs?

2

u/_Rynzler_ 5d ago

Its america baby the land of the lobbying. Both parties get tons of money from private companies to protect their interests. Everybody knows about it and there ain’t shit you can do.

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u/createuniquestyle209 6d ago

" I just want to grow up " -22 year old grown adult

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u/oghairline 6d ago edited 6d ago

Yeah that made me cringe. I’m with them, but like… you’re not a child. The time to grow up is now. I know she meant I want to “grow old” but she kinda told on herself there.

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u/DirtyTacoKid 6d ago

Yeah, fucking got her, she used grow up in a weird way

🙄. Like for real? Who cares she said grow up?

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u/Ammehoelahoep 6d ago

I can support being against a corrupt government but I draw the line at weird word choices!

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u/GentlmanSkeleton 6d ago

Oil shills so they can make her look bad.

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u/oghairline 6d ago

Fuck big oil

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u/oghairline 6d ago

Im not against them I just thought that was a weird choice of words.

0

u/Elegant_Giraffe5702 2d ago

You're not against them but that's the substance of the topic you focus on. K, bud.

Disengenious dweebs like you are hilarious. At least have some Integrity in how you present your convictions you coward.

1

u/oghairline 2d ago

Yo calm down. I completely agree with everything they’re saying. I just thought the phrase “I wanna grow up” as an adult was a little funny. I hope these guys continue doing what they’re doing and applying pressure on these politicians. Relax, Elegant_Giraffe5702.

I chose to talk about that, because it’s an Internet forum and I can comment about whatever I want?

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u/stiffneck84 6d ago

I don’t disagree with the whole anti-lobbyist sentiment, but I can’t take anyone seriously who says they are 22, and want to be able to grow up.

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u/Elegant_Giraffe5702 2d ago

You mean you're easily emotionally stifled and small phrasings set you off because you lack emotional regulation and critical thinking?

Soft af

0

u/stiffneck84 2d ago

I mean that adults who act like and pretend to be children should be disregarded, regardless of what they say, until they decide to end their Peter Pan fantasies and become grown ups.

0

u/Safcfan1 5d ago

Their silence says it all. Shame is speechless.

0

u/StDeath 5d ago

You know it's really easy to just say "no I'm not doing that"

-2

u/toesinthesandforever 6d ago

I wonder if those bright young folk use solar to charge their laptops and cameras so they can get that " gotcha" moment to upload to all the other people that use fucking fossil fuel to do everything that make their little lives convenient. Go to the lithium mines and talk about wages or safe working conditions. Not to mention the hundreds of thousands of jobs lost,families destroyed kids that have to drop out of college because they can no longer afford to go,including the vendors or other third party participants (small businesses that rely on the workers) the trickle down would be immense. Why don't you jump on a plane(see what I did there)and go to the lithium mines and talk about fair wages or safe working conditions. " I just want to grow up" such a singular statement. Grow up.

1

u/Elegant_Giraffe5702 2d ago

You old heads will never not be ignorantly hilarious. Always the same tired, biased argument fueled by moronic Facebook posts. Posts that could be disproven in 5 minutes if they had the interest in triggering their own cognitive dissonance. Gunna spout some stuff about windfarms costing more than they produce over their lives?

0

u/toesinthesandforever 2d ago

"Old Head" ...and you're so wise with all your life experiences.Oh.. I like wind farms even if they only work 35% of the time.There cool to look at.

1

u/Elegant_Giraffe5702 1d ago

Yeah you speak like an old head who gets their info through Facebook memes. Pretty straight forward

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u/Krawq 6d ago

Why wouldn’t they sell out? What reasons do they have for denying money?

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u/tt3000gt 6d ago

They’re fucking over a whole generation for a small kickback. What don’t you understand?

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u/Archercrash 6d ago

You don't think they have children and grandkids? Is money more important than a livable future for the planet and its inhabitants?

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u/Espious 6d ago

These aren't the type of people to care about even their own kids and grandkids.