[semimojo]

But if you read further you’ll find that we are a net importer of crude oil. The majority of our exports are refined petroleum products.

Fair enough, but some amount of that imported crude is refined here and exported.

I'm not sure the crude/refined distinction is really relevant to this discussion. We're exporting more petroleum product than we're importing so we have to be a net producer.

[mbrfl]

I’m not sure the crude/refined distinction is really relevant to this discussion. We’re exporting more petroleum product than we’re importing so we have to be a net producer.

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But the problem is, those refined petroleum products that we’re exporting are reliant on imports of the raw materials. Those exports represent value that we’re adding to a raw material for which we ae a net importer. And it’s totally unnecessary. We could easily be producing the crude oil that are refineries rely on, if the federal government would get out of the way.