Thanks, Trump: Look for heating oil and gas prices to start rising this week

By adamg on Sun, 02/02/2025 - 10:47pm

Update: Of course, he got played like a fiddle, so no tariffs for now, at least not on Canadian, Mexican goods.

Irving Oil, based in New Brunswick, is alerting its New England heating-oil customers their bills are going up 10% Tuesday, when 47's new tariffs take effect (although the 25% figure is more widely known, it's actually 10% for energy products). And the Globe reports that 80% of all of New England's gasoline and diesel fuel comes from Canada - mainly from an Irving refinery in New Brunswick - along with 90% of Logan's jet fuel.

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Comments

Well...

By anon
Sun, 02/02/2025 - 11:11pm

As his press secretary said: Promises made, promises kept! Not the one we were hoping he'd keep. But he takes his wins where he can.

but but but....

By Rob
Sun, 02/02/2025 - 11:48pm

but but but.... The milliardarechancellor said we were energy-independent! Those darn sneaky Canuckians must have tunneled under the border to drain our oil fields and sell it back to us!

My milkshake brings all the oil barons to the yard

By blues_lead
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 10:07am

n/t

Then they’re admitting to ripping the customer off

By robo
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 12:06am

Because the tariff is on the buy price, not the sell price. Unless they sell it for what they buy it for, but I doubt that. Just another corp ripping its customers off.

What???

By anon
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 12:21am

What???

I'm confused by your comment. They're getting taxed an additional 10% and their passing it on to the customer. How are they ripping anyone off?

Anything to not blame the cheeto

They’re not getting taxed. It’s a tariff

By robo
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 7:54am

The tariff is applied to the cost Irving buys the crude oil from Canada. For example, if they buy crude oil at $1.00/gal and sell it for $1.50/gal. The tariff only applies to the buy price of $1.00/gal. Telling your customers that they’re going to raise the price of oil by 10% is just squeezing them more. If they really passed along the extra cost it would be an extra $0.10/gal, not $0.15/gal.

Mmmmkay

By SwirlyGrrl
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 8:16am

Whatever. But actual math and the reality of what happens means that they grasp at any chance they have for ripping people off. That's what corporations and oil companies do. They don't have to answer to any one country or economy because they are global oligarchic behemoths that like to install their own governments whenever anyone tries to escape their games.

Capitalism, my friend.

By Lecil
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 8:23am

Ain't it grand?

impressive

By berkleealum
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 8:29am

not only is this a red herring—the price of oil is rising because of the tariffs—but you’re also misrepresenting how businesses operate. the relationship between cost and price isn’t some mystery; it’s basic economics.

I know you're not a math (or business) guy

By Pete X
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 9:17am

But standard markup is a percentage of the base price, so the percentage increase would stay the same

I can picture you

By robo
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 9:58am

Angrily typing away at your computer then stomping away after hitting send. Thanks for the chuckle, pal!

Do you read the WSJ?

By SwirlyGrrl
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 1:20pm

You might check out their editorial on the subject. For those lacking access, here are a couple of articles on the editorial: UK Guardian Mediaite

Do you read national news?

By robo
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 1:33pm

Mexico tariffs have already been paused for a month. I’m sure Canada isn’t far behind. This was always a bargaining chip to get these countries to take some accountability.

What fentanyl is coming from Canada?

By cinnamngrl
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 1:54pm

How many undocumented people cross the Canadian border? Canada can't account for a problem that they don't have. Their fentanyl is passing through the USA before it kills them. It actually seems like Trump is getting soft on China. I guess Trump wants to make Daddy Putin happy.

Accountability for WHAT?

By SwirlyGrrl
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 5:31pm

Please cite facts in your response.

This BLAME CANADA thing is getting really old. Like, South Park old.

I tried to have a civil conversation with you

By robo
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 7:26pm

In another thread and you just changed the subject and started name calling per usual with you. I’m not going to waste my time this go around.

I thought you were moving to Canada? Hopefully that’s still in the works for you.

Answer the question

By SwirlyGrrl
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 8:15pm

Explain what you are talking about and back it up with facts.

Others asked you the same thing. Why not reply to them?

You are much smarter than this.

Also, link to comments where I said I would be moving to Canada. I can tell you how to do that if you qualify, but I know from family experience that it isn't as simple as showing up there with a uhaul. I'm likely too old unless my brother sponsors me ... and then I'd have to live in Alberta because it is province-based.

Ok

By robo
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 8:47pm

There’s been a record number of illegal border crossings from the north. Canada is now going to sure up its border and the tariffs have been delayed. Everyone gets what they want.

https://www.npr.org/2024/08/15/nx-s1-5069710/northern-border-communities...

Any other questions I can answer for you, hun?

Denominators matter

By SwirlyGrrl
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 9:29pm

Thank you for the article. Helpful, but not terribly convincing.

Important quote:
"This area recorded more than two-thirds of all apprehensions on the northern border during the 2023 fiscal year, about 7,000 encounters, according to Customs and Border Protection.

That’s a miniscule fraction of the hundreds of thousands of encounters along the busiest parts of the southern border, but Brian Lorimor, one of the sector’s patrol agents in charge, said it was still a record-breaking year for Swanton Sector."

Yes, crossings from Canada are up and at record levels (if you set aside the sheer volume of estimated Prohibition era smuggling through the region). But 7,000 out of an estimated 11 million border encounters in a bit less than 5 years - about 2 million a year? Most certainly a humanitarian concern given freezing/drowning and the like - but is that really worth antagonizing an important trading partner?

43 pounds

By ElizaLeila
Tue, 02/04/2025 - 11:53am

That's all, fentanyl-wise, that was stopped at the border with Canada in 2024. Merely 0.2% of border seizures.

ok

By monty
Tue, 02/04/2025 - 11:58am

So not zero.

where to start?

By anon
Wed, 02/05/2025 - 9:57am

Canada and Mexico don't control the entries into the US, the US Border Control does (they control entry into their own countries).

The so called concessions were things they'd already been doing or negotiated doing under BIDEN.

Canadians are very serious about boycotting American goods, some will do it even with this "pause". Other counties will join in - he's attacking the US's biggest ally, he will attempt to do it to them (also with spectacularly bad results).

Tariffs are a pass through cost that the consumers will pay. In all cases.

The Stock Market Crash in 1929 didn't start the Great Depression, tariffs did.

HE IS NOT THE GENIUS YOU THINK HE IS - he is a Russian puppet. Remember how he "punished" China with tariffs the last time? China stopped buying US soybeans - they're buying from Russia now (what a coincidence) and we're subsidizing soybean growers for the loss. He is bad at this and we will all pay. Hope your car holds out for the next 4 years dude cause guess how much they're made in Canada and Mexico (not to mention building materials, food, etc). If only MAGA types were suffering from all this, it would be funny.

What is the actual position you are trying to take?

By brianjdamico
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 9:22am

Tariffs are import taxes, paid by the importer of a product into the US. If the cost to bring a product or a component of one into the US increases, that means the cost to bring the item to market increase. Either they are able to eat that cost or they are not, and if so the price at every change of hands from import to final sale is going to be increasing. Whoever is buying the finished product is going to pay that price. That is often people like you and I. Have you ever paid a tariff yourself? I have. A few years ago, I sourced an essential but uncommon piece of lab equipment from a Chinese vendor, because no one in the US makes this piece of equipment. When it made it to customs on the US side, I had to pay a hefty customs duty before it would be released for final delivery to me.

I’ve paid tariffs on evaluation kits.

By robo
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 9:56am

It was surprising to me how much the tariff was too - $500 on a $2000 development kit or something like that. My take is that Irving is using the tariff to raise the prices of their products and pretend like they’re not part of the reason for the increase. It’s not surprising considering corporate america, but still disingenuous to the average buyer and I’m trying to bring that to light.

Please explain

By lbb
Tue, 02/04/2025 - 11:43am

"My take is that Irving is using the tariff to raise the prices of their products and pretend like they’re not part of the reason for the increase. " - do the math for me. If Irving purchases a product, and Trump slaps a 10% tax on that product, and Irving raises the prices to customers by 10%, how is Irving "part of the problem"?

I already did the math yesterday morning

By robo
Tue, 02/04/2025 - 1:02pm

Sorry, I’m not going to do it again because you lack reading comprehension.

“Tariffs are a tax on the

By anon
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 1:09pm

“Tariffs are a tax on the consumer” - Ron Paul

In this example, the retail

By anon
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 1:40pm

In this example, the retail price goes up 10%. 6.7% of that is directly due to the tariff, and 3.3% is the company's markup on their increased cost due to the tariff.

Irving Oil is from Canada

By anon
Tue, 02/04/2025 - 12:30am

They're getting their Canadian crude oil for the same price.

They'll pass the tariff cost on to their US buyers. Not their Canadian buyers.

Good grief.

(If the tariff goes into effect, of course. Trump changes hi mind/ policy quicker than his diapers.)

Irving Oil is from Canada

By Reggae Ambassador
Tue, 02/04/2025 - 4:31pm

They're getting their Canadian crude oil for the same price they always have. No tariff.

They'll pass the Trump tariff cost on to their US buyers. Not their Canadian buyers.

Good grief. This is Economics 101.

(If the tariff goes into effect, of course. Trump changes his mind/ policy quicker than his diapers.)

(Sorry for the dupe. Didn't think my reply while not signed in went thru.)

It's not that simple.

By anon
Tue, 02/04/2025 - 3:39pm

If the cost of the company's imported goods increases from $1.00 to $1.10, they can't just raise the retail price from $1.50 to $1.60 and call it a day. People will buy less due to the higher price, but the company's fixed costs don't go away. They need to raise the price by more than 10 cents to break even.

This is a major part of why tariffs are such a bad idea.

[Sorry about the double post] Now that's confidence!

By CopleyScott17
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 9:58am

Raise heating oil prices in February. Disrupt the Treasury Department during tax season. Handcuff public health functions with avian flu and tuberculosis taking off. You've got to be 100% confident in the absolute stupidity of your MAGAt followers to pull this stuff.

Now that's confidence!

By CopleyScott17
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 3:39am

Does. Not. Care.

By perruptor
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 5:28am

Trump does not give the least bit of a shit any more what any of the idiots who voted for him think. There is nothing they can do to punish him or stop him from carrying out his plan to dismantle the government and get more rich doing it. Like so many of his once-useful idiots, they are now permanently under the bus. Unlike the rest of us, they deserve it. Just what did they think was going to happen after they elected a criminal con man who promised to do all of this crap? Stupid, stupid people. They have made all of our lives so much worse. All of the non-Maggats who stayed home on election day for whatever stupid reason are equally guilty.

All true.

By CopleyScott17
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 7:03am

Let's see if the skyrocketing fuel prices, missing IRS refunds, and egg shortages break the fever. Dubious.

spoiler alert

By berkleealum
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 8:30am

do i even have to say it?

Agreed

By lbb
Tue, 02/04/2025 - 11:46am

Why should they come to their senses and blame Trump when they can blame literally anybody but him?

They won't blame oligarchs, either. They're not poor, they're not working class, they're "temporarily embarrassed millionaires". If they were able to face reality, they wouldn't buy scratch tickets.

Tech bros have written them off

By SwirlyGrrl
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 7:59am

But when the leopards come to eat their faces, do you think the most heavily armed, aggrieved and emotionally reactive members of the most violent generation in history are going to show their bellies when they have nothing left to lose?

If you are asking me if I think they are cowards

By Sator
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 8:01am

Yes. Yes I believe that.

Come on

By lbb
Tue, 02/04/2025 - 11:58am

You know better. These chumps have been played like an entire orchestra of violins, by those who are masters at redirecting their grievances toward irrelevant enemies. There's no end to the "others" that they will blame for their misfortune. Couldn't possibly be the man in the mirror, or the man with his hand on the money spigot.

It might work

By lbb
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 9:24am

If the states that get hurt in the northeast, hey! winner winner chicken dinner as far as Benito Dorito is concerned.

Not Entirely

By SwirlyGrrl
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 1:22pm

Southern states rely on a lot of Mexican imports.

Naturally

By Rob O
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 10:37am

"You've got to be 100% confident in the absolute stupidity of your MAGAt followers to pull this stuff." Have they given anyone any reason to doubt it?

My dad is blaming Biden , yours might blame him too

By hydeparkish
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 12:43pm

If he voted for Trump...For shutting down the refinery on St. Croix which was going to save all the residents on the island by giving them jobs and provide us with cheap gas...except it's not able to run while meeting recent safety and environmental regulations. So Trump with the help of Fox " News" will blame Biden as prices rise....and the Trumpies with run around also blaming Biden since they drank the coolaid. Now that Trump is trying to eliminate all rules that oil refinery is trying to reopen! https://stthomassource.com/content/2024/12/12/epa-osha-and-governor-deny-reports-of-st-croix-refinery-restart-amid-live-video-claims/

Fault in that "logic"

By SwirlyGrrl
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 8:18am

Raw material cost fluctuations account for most of the fluctuations in fuel prices. Refinery capacity is one input to fuel prices, but most of it is the cost of oil on global markets. Tacking an additional 10% on the oil costs means a price hike will ensue ... and the oil companies aren't going to eat that cost out of the goodness of their hearts because there is a local refinery. Washington State and California are prime examples - refineries present, but also high prices.

Thats no accident

By Sator
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 8:00am

The real goal here is to mess up the legacy US auto industry. Not like Tesla is beholden to Mexico or Canada for --their-- parts.

The only impact to Tesla is they have two factories that make equipment to make batteries in Canada.

Fuck these guys. See you in the streets.

Tesla makes most of its cars in China, if I'm not mistaken

By necturus
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 12:01pm

...and I'd be surprised if the cars they make in this country are built from American parts.

Gee, I don't remember you

By anon
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 8:05am

Gee, I don't remember you thanking Biden when heating oil and gas prices rose during his administration.

Go back to bed

By Plen-T-Pak
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 1:08pm

But do you remember

By brianjdamico
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 1:30pm

when Biden signed tariffs on a country that supplies 80+% of some of our most commonly used fuels to our region? I can't remember that happening, which might explain your lack of memory too.

Fantastic

By cybah
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 8:16am

Fantastic, I just bought a car 2 weeks ago, after not owning one since 1995! Every time I went in the past to buy a car, gas shoots up over 4 bucks a gallon. Looks like my jinx is happening again. *smh* I wonder if I can still return the car.... maybe say it didn't fit.

Thanks to the 25% tariffs on

By dvg
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 9:42am

Thanks to the 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico imports, your car may be considerably more valuable in a few months from now; you may consider reselling it to make a buck!

Yesterday

By ElizaLeila
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 10:50am

We just bought yesterday ... keeping this idea in mind.

Shades of 2023

By SwirlyGrrl
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 1:27pm

Part of how my son ended up with our old car and how we ended up buying a new one earlier than planned was that used cars at any price level were hard to find, and late model ones were nearly as expensive as new and didn't come with 3yr warranties.

Yeah

By cybah
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 3:14pm

This was my urgency to buy one so quick... I was worried how much a car would increase after bozo pulls this nonsense.

Landlords pay heat and hot water

By loochyj
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 9:15am

Never has there been a more important time to get an apartment where heat and hot water are included in the rent.

While I didn’t vote for Trump

By dvg
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 9:44am

While I didn’t vote for Trump, I embrace his policies that increase fossil fuel prices*. I've also read predictions that tariffs will increase new car prices (> 80% of new "car” sales are trucks and SUVs these days) by $3,000k on average. Now I am delighted; thank you so much Mr. president! You are indeed accomplishing a lot more than your predecessor. * Most mainstream economists agree that the most efficient way to reduce our carbon emissions is to make fossil fuels more expensive. https://clcouncil.org/economists-statement/

What about Canadian electricity?

By necturus
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 9:46am

Doesn't a lot of New England's power come from Quebec Hydro? If so, don't think you can escape the tariffs by driving an EV.

There were a couple deals

By Pengu
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 1:39pm

that would have provided us with that hydro power. The NECED project, and the Twin State Clean Energy Link Both fell through, though, so we are still reliant on <a href="https://www.iso-ne.com/isoexpress/web/charts">natural gas</a> which is expensive due to several factors. We lack a pipelines to bring gas to the area, so it must come by ship, but if memory serves, due to regulations we can only accept fuel that has been repackaged under certain flags before it can be sent back to New England for use.

nah

By berkleealum
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 9:50am

any rise in the consumer price of fossil fuel products is an entirely unintended consequence. clearly, we need to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, but haphazard trade policies are not the solution. it’s probable that Trump will respond to backlash on pricing by implementing some random short-term fix, which will only perpetuate the problem.

Yeah, and the people doing

By Vicki
Mon, 02/03/2025 - 10:20am

Yeah, and the people doing this are also going to roll back fuel economy and air pollution rules, and increase oil drilling. In the long run, the tariffs might reduce fossil fuel consumption. In the short and medium term, they're increasing the price of everything that is shipped by road, train, ship, or airplane. That's basically everything tangible you buy, even if it never crosses a border: even locally grown produce is brought to the grocery or farmers market by truck.

That's not a gouge in any sense of the word.

u stil mad bro?

By SwirlyGrrl
Tue, 02/04/2025 - 10:08pm

Melania preens for Trudeau kisses

Thanks, Trump: Look for heating oil and gas prices to start rising this week

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