Sen. Whitehouse Lambasts Trump Energy Policies: "Are they stupid? Or is something darker going on?" - Senator Whitehouse

[Rhiannon12866]

Senator Whitehouse speaks at a roundtable with Senate Democrats and energy, utility, and labor experts to spotlight how the Trump administration’s policies have driven up energy prices for working families.

Sheldon Whitehouse represents Rhode Island in the U.S. Senate, where he champions policies to uphold American leadership in the world, protect our planet in a changing climate, and hold the powerful accountable. - 03/17/2026.

[OKIsItJustMe]

1. It's not an either/or situation

I think it’s some combination of both.

[bucolic_frolic]

2. It's a plan to create inflation & steal citizens' assets for more wealthy tax cuts

Put another way, it happened in the 1970s. Devalue the currency so the price of everything goes up until everyone's broke. Then give the wealthy tax cuts. The price of everything goes through the moon. Remember prices in 1972? Compare them to 1980, and 2010 and today. It's the equivalent of speeding up the assembly line. Workers have to work more and harder to pay the bills. The profits go to the owners, who see the system as incentivizing work.
It's already happening in commodities, energy, precious metals. Copper, silver, oil, LNG. Have house prices gone up in the last 10 years? For sure. Cost of everything.

[Rhiannon12866]

3. Excellent points, the cost of everything is rapidly going up and shows no sign of slowing down

And for so many, the prices of things they used to buy are becoming unaffordable.

[OKIsItJustMe]

4. I used to choke on apologists who said "compared to inflation, oil prices are pretty much what they were in the 50's"

One of my reactions was saying that this was a bit like saying that compared to the tide, the boats in the harbor were at pretty much the same level. (The rising price of oil drives inflation, raising the price of virtually everything else.)

[Rhiannon12866]

5. Great point and that's what we're experiencing now, and we already were before the felon's war

But his war lit a match under what was already happening, inflation and unaffordability.

[OKIsItJustMe]

6. Revolution Wind comes online, Vineyard Wind 1 completes construction

The 700-MW Revolution Wind is the third offshore wind project to start delivering power, and the 800-MW Vineyard Wind 1 is the largest so far to complete physical construction.

Published March 16, 2026

Diana DiGangi
Reporter

The embattled U.S. offshore wind industry cleared two more hurdles Friday as the 700-MW Revolution Wind offshore Rhode Island became the third offshore wind project to start delivering power, and the 800-MW Vineyard Wind 1 offshore Massachusetts completed construction.

Both projects faced delays after the Trump administration issued a Dec. 22 blanket stop work order halting construction on all five offshore wind projects under development in federal waters, citing national security concerns. Federal judges ultimately ruled in favor of all five projects, allowing them to resume.

Revolution Wind previously won an injunction against a September stop work order from Trump which specifically targeted that project and also cited national security concerns. The project is being developed by Ørsted and Global Infrastructure Partners’ Skyborn Renewables.

The project is close to completion and “is expected to supply enough electricity to power more than 350,000 homes and businesses,” Ørsted said. “The project will deliver power under fixed-price, 20-year agreements with energy utilities in Rhode Island and Connecticut.”

…

[Rhiannon12866]

7. Good news! I remembered this and appreciate the positive follow up!