Ford To Close German Plant In 2025 -- Or Maybe Not -- June 24, 2022

Link here to Forbes: this story was previously posted, different source, but this headline caught my eye. 

It's nearly impossible to close a factory in Germany where unions control the industrial sector. So, my hunch: this factory will remain open, re-imagined, re-configured. In fact, by 2025, ICEs may be back in vogue. LOL. A $25,000 Honda Civic or a $110,000 Tesla? It's "apples to oranges" according to the White House press secretary who may go down as the worst press secretary ever. Have you ever really listened to her? 

Germany: about to implode.  Link to Rigzone. 

Germany fears Russia could permanently close main gas pipeline.Germany’s economy minister said he can’t be sure that Russia will resume shipments through a key gas pipeline following planned maintenance next month, raising the prospect of a fresh surge in prices and rationing this winter. 

“I would have to lie if I said I didn’t fear that,” Economy Minister Robert Habeck said late Thursday in an interview with public broadcaster ZDF. 

His concerns were echoed Friday by Klaus Mueller, the head of the federal network agency, who said that flows through the Nord Stream 1 link might not restart even after the end of the 10-day maintenance period beginning on July 11, 2022. 

Mueller also warned that prices for consumers could triple, and urged households and businesses to put money aside and save energy wherever possible. 

“If we have a very, very cold winter, if we’re careless and far too generous with gas then it won’t be pretty,” Mueller said in an interview with public broadcaster ARD.

Germany: just a matter of time (about two months). Link to Irina Slav. 

ERCOT: Texas grid will easily hold today which means lots of wind and lots of sun. Gotta love it. In DFW area, high is forecast to be 101°F and the heat index to be 110°F. And the grid will hold. Gotta love it. 

SCOTUS ruling: finally Biden gets it. Congress needs to codify things if they want to thwart the courts. Congress has had decades to "fix" Roe vs Wade which was known to be tenuous at best when first "passed." Likewise, gun control and the second amendment. Congress has had decades to "fix" these issues. 

My analogy: SCOTUS is like a goalie on a soccer team or a hockey team. One can't blame the goalie for a loss. It's a team sport, and if it's that important for the team, in this case, the US Congress, needs to change the constitution before it reaches SCOTUS. And, yes, it can be done: Dred Scott, prohibition, prohibition repealed. This was not a SCOTUS issue, this was a Congressional issue, but something Congress never wanted to touch. 

Whether one agrees with SCOTUS or not, one must acknowledge the court is at least ruling based on strict reading of the constitution. 

The fact that US Congress has had decades to fix these issues tells me all I need to know about the US electorate.