The Energy News Beat monthly check-in – We check in with Ryan on China, Australia, and Coal. Ryan once had a vote for a United States Presidential race. Now that we have established his political knowledge, we really enjoyed his take on China and Geo Politics. Thank you Ryan for Stopping by!
Automatic Transcription: We will only admit to any of the errors in transcription if they make us sound, or look better.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:00:03] Hey, good morning, everybody. My name is Stu Turley, and we are here with the Energy News Beat podcast and we have a special treat today. Today is our monthly check-in with Ryan Ray, podcast aficionado and president of the War Room Media. And what, the 30 different on the podcast that you’re on, right?
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:00:23] Yeah, 30. That’s a good number. Call it even 30.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:00:28] But you know, Ryan, we talked about this on the last podcast. You and I have had so much fun overall, this getting to know each other and everything. We had a special treat because of the way that you’re annunciating on how to do technical information on a well. And so let’s oh, last month for our podcast listeners didn’t hear it last month. Mr. Producer, you got a second.
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:00:53] They’re philosophical ideas that I’m inputting into the industry, not necessarily about how best to frack a well.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:01:04] All right, well, Ryan, you know, when you sit back and say, I’m going to frack a well and it’s not the laterals and I have to stop you and say, wait a minute, you’re fracking a whale. The translation software, the Ryan Ray translator said this is fracking. Well, so anyway, well, thank you very much for your entertainment.
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:01:28] Can you clarify how you would enunciate those two words for us, for those uneducated folks like myself,
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:01:35] fracking oil or fracking oil?
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:01:40] Yes, OK, sure. I’ve heard that rhetoric, really philosophical.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:01:46] Really, really bizarre. Yeah, that’s right. And you-you’re anyway. Yeah. The epiphany of going on with Ryan Ray was absolutely a hoot for our podcast. Listeners of this one on the video side of it. We are going to have a two-minute section. Ryan Ray, actually. Fracking. Well, we already have that video, so we’ll have that at the end of this, but it took me a while to find. But we’ve got it. And it is explosive.
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:02:16] I feel like when you reached out to my agent and they’re like, hey, Rod, do you want to do the show still? Macassar, be great. What can go wrong?
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:02:24] Oops.
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:02:25] You know what I’m realizing the agent was like. I’m not too sure about this.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:02:29] And I was like, no, no, this is a great guy. Oh, yeah. Hey, everybody, on our Energy Newsbeat podcast app available on the iPhone and Android, we’re having a section in there for the regular meeting of the minds. Look at that. Look at all the new buttons on there. Ryan, there’s a lot of new info on that bed. And when you go look at it, there’s a Ryan Ray in the YouTube playlist that you’re going to be able to see the Ryan Ray and the whale shot is the money shot is going to be in there. So anyway, we’re going to have a lot of nice special places in there for everybody to download the Ryan Ray funny videos and they’ll be in Chinese.
Aficionado podcast with, you know, other knowledge, we saw an article come rolling through and it seems like China has been really putting out this facade that they are going green, but they’re going to be using more and more coal and they’re having some serious power problems. They have forced all of their heavy industries to shut back on power for this summer. And they’re sitting back going, we’re having a major problem. This is almost a Texas Bercot problem on steroids.
And HULKA later, I guess I don’t know of a good word would be on China, but it seems like they’ve got some significant power issues going on. The article that just came out was from Bloomberg. And it seems like they were having everybody was sitting there saying that they had real problems putting generators by the restaurants and on the streets and everything else in China’s electricity consumption is surging on its pandemic rebound. And some pretty big numbers in there, 800 billion kilowatts per hour. Jeez, that’s a lot of kilowatts between friends.
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:04:37] It is. Well, if you go back to the last year, you could go for those who want to dig into the ground in Australia. Had a little bit of a tiff to put nicely in. China gets a lot of coal from Australia. And so they were they had I want to say it was 50 ships. It was 30. I can’t remember if they were in the harbor to sitting there and they refused to offload them.
They don’t pay most of this coal and they refused to offload them. So when you read these problems you mentioned they were cutting, it kind of has somewhat of a similar feel but also has a different feel because on some level, what China does with this power or its trade, in general, is they try to punish nations. And so problems are self-inflicted. It’s not as if they could get access to this product.
They didn’t want it in some cases. And as we know. You know, there’s a saying from the movie The Patriot, I believe it is Mel Gibson, you know, he’s teaching his boys to aim small, Miss Small. And I love that saying because, for geopolitics or policy or whatever business, it’s such a great film, which is Aim Small, Miss Small. Well, when you start eating ships of coal in the harbor, you’re aiming big, which you’re likely to miss big. And so that’s what China does.
And so when we look to Chinese policy, it’s very Top-Down, very wide-sweeping policy in the West. We have to remember that that means that they will have huge gains, but they will have huge whiffs. And these huge whiffs will be because they have this top-down kind of draconian policy that has a long-lasting impact that we’re seeing that not only in energy. You’re also seeing that now with the lift of the one-child policy a few years back and now trying to encourage three children. So this is the problem that China will face in a lot of areas moving forward, which is they try to make these big, wide, sweeping policy changes and they have a long-lasting impact.
So I’m not surprised that we’re seeing this problem as far as your point about their emissions. It’s interesting because during the Trump administration, you know, the media was afraid to criticize China because they might agree with Trump and you can’t agree with Trump. You know, that’s terrible. So now all of a sudden, what are you hearing, though? You’re hearing all these reports about China’s emissions in China alone is the largest emitter and they outpace everyone else and you can’t do anything unless China stops.
So it’s funny that didn’t start for the listeners who were new. That didn’t start on January 7th. Twenty twenty-one. They started a long time ago. And so this is old news to us in the energy space. And so it’s kind of frustrating that this narrative was pushed to the side for years by the media for political reasons.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:07:10] Right. But you know, China’s war with Australia, I thought you brought up some great stuff. You know, Australia has been doing a lot of things with the heavy coking coal and with the heavy industries. Good grief. I thought I turned off my phone. Sorry about that, guys. Good grief. All right, sorry about that, Mr. Producer, you can beat me up later. So anyway, when you talk about Australia and the heavy coking coal, China needs that heavier coal in order to do heavy machinery. And the coking coal provides for that. And I mean, that was a real tiff that you had in there with that Australia. Mick’s gone back and forth.
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:08:04] I wouldn’t say it was too silly, is there? There’s a lot at play here, obviously, but one of the main things is that China wanted Australia, Australia, Australia, Australia to stop to prevent its journalists from criticizing the CCP. Right. That was kind of one of the leading things that were really frustrating. The Chinese in Australia was like, no, now perspective here. Australia is not a bastion of free speech either. It’s not like they are. You know, they’re not. But even they said this.
That’s too far. And so, you know, it’s like, OK, so China goes from Australia. The funny thing is when they start buying more from the US or somewhere else. And so. I wonder I’m curious your thoughts as to how long can China continue to play this game? Because, you know, you could only be a bad business partner for so long before someone goes, I just want to do business somewhere else. So how long do you think they can really put the pressure on these nations?
Australia was dependent on them for their coal sales, but if you quit buying from them, eventually they reshift industries, they find a trade partner, whatever it is, and they figure a new way to move forward. I don’t know if China can continue to play these games for another decade or two. It feels like at some point they’re coming to the end of the rope.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:09:19] Well, there are a couple of things that you brought up about about 16 different points, which, Brian, I don’t want to give you a compliment, but they’re all good. So, I mean, that’s a good thing. And when you take a look, I noticed, I think last week the U.S. is also quietly increasing its coal production and exporting Australia is now exporting to the rest of Asia. And they have you nailed it. Australia is already starting to creep out into other markets. So the 800-pound gorilla in the room normally can do whatever it wants. But, Ryan, your epiphany is just phenomenal. I just didn’t even put those two together until you said that. So holy smoke, Ryan. Right. Is just a brilliant sign because you did that again. I had not put those two together. I saw all those numbers last week. And it makes sense. The 800-pound gorilla is going to lose some of its market shares
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:10:18] if we play that clip from last week or last month. It is philosophical, not technical. OK, there it is. It is philosophical points.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:10:29] And we heard Taco Tuesday when you’re going to take over the CCP. So I.
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:10:33] Is the buzzer. That’s right. So, you know, we’re getting Frackville Taco Tuesday and a lot of philosophy when I’m running the CCP.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:10:41] Yes, I’m in. And I’m your minister of defense. When you got one vote for President Ryan, that to me is pretty cool. One president.
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:10:50] We bring me on as presidential for a presidential contender.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:10:53] Absolutely. Mr. Producer will have that in the show notes. So we’ll have that ready to rumble. But, you know, when you sit back and you take a look at coal, this brings up a whole big issue. Everybody saying coal is going away and it’s dead. I think coal’s just resurfacing. And coming up, another it’s kind of like a whack mole. A whack a mole. You whack a mole. What do you like? Whack a mole? It’s popping up somewhere else.
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:11:22] So if you are in a hurry, I heard the comment, the China commentator, they kind of distinguish the US from China. The US is post-industrialized and China is just is industrializing. And so for us, the need for coal is not the same as the Chinese. And so if you’re industrializing a nation, your need for coal will continue to grow.
As we know that China still has a long way to go. You look at per capita GDP, right? They are a long way off from being an industrialized nation. So they’re going to need coal in the US unless we ban it. We’ll continue to try to sell it to Australia and try to sell to them if they will be a good trade partner.
So, yeah, I don’t I don’t see why I don’t see how coal goes anywhere, especially with the negative feelings around nuclear. Right. So if nuclear could get back in the game, then maybe it’s a different story, but it’s unclear is out. What are you going to do, especially for China? You’ve got one, three, four billion people, right? You’ve got to do something in. Coal is cheap
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:12:27] and Asia is kicking off on a dramatic increase in coal production and use because it’s cheap. And so there are other things that are created using coal. And we’ve got a research team working on a bunch of stuff like that. So we’ll have some reports coming out on coal, the increase in coal. But just to throw that little teaser out there for some folks out there. But right. If you brought up the other point, which is fabulous, and that is China is being the big guy in the room, how much longer can they make people mad? And the CCP doesn’t care about people. We know that. So what’s their end game? I mean, is it just going to ride the world till it drops?
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:13:16] Yeah, OK, so. When we say they don’t care about people, let’s break it down to levels, OK? They’re not concerned about human rights like we are in the West, right. They’re not concerned about freedom of speech like we are in the West. Right?
They are. And this is what I think a lot of China commentators are concerned about, perception with certain global leaders. So if you go back to last year, Xi Jinping had four calls with Merkel of Germany in Q1 and maybe Q2 because she was going to be Germany was going to be the president of the E.U. it’s a six-month rotation starting July. So she was on the horn with he was on the horn with her four times in Q1. I think it was one because
China needs the EU to support it. Wow. Yeah, OK. So so we had to be careful and we’re all getting this Mickey’s overstatements. They understand what’s going on in the global game and they know, you know, if the US is mad, that’s one thing. But in the US, the EU is mad. Now, you’ve got a problem right now. You’ve got the two kinds of big boys in the room that is going, OK, you know what, China, we’re going to take it anymore. What if you get E.U. to the E.U. to work with you, which they seem like they will do, then you’ve got some running room, right.
And you got a good trade partner. You got you to know, we know Russians that help us now. And so I think that’s I think when you look at China, how they view things, there are a lot more strategic. And then the other thing is, despite all the rhetoric going, the Trump administration, continued to buy from the US and they didn’t meet the phase one trade levels. But I think that had more to do with their ability to meet those goals, anything else.
But when they got mad at Australia, who they buy from the US. So it’s not as if they’re turning away from the US. So I think that we have to watch what they’re doing. And, you know, they are a propaganda machine. As much as we get frustrated as our politicians for being propagandists, they are full of propaganda where they are. That’s what I do. And so, you know, if you watch their actions and how they handle things, I think there’s there’s a lot more going on there than just they don’t care about people.
You are right. I’ll disagree. But they also know and this is the thing with any totalitarian leader or any free-market leader is when you’re in power, what’s the one thing you want to do? Stay in power. If you start cutting out power or electricity to hundreds of millions of Chinese, you will not be in power much longer.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:15:42] Right. There’s a name for that one to happen from right and wrong with that. If there’s no power of being in power, I mean, we’re going to have a rabid dog. Right.
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:15:53] Right. So think I think the Chinese stuff is it’s like anything else. There is the wide-sweeping policy stuff like the one-child policy or the three now or moving the trade from Australia because of this. There’s that. I think you also watch what they do, laying the foundation with Merkel as Germany became the EU chancellor president, whatever the title is, you still buying from the US despite all the rhetoric.
And so I think there’s it’s like I think the complicatedness it’s not as simple as we’d like to make it in the West. And that’s part of the problem. We have these talks about China is that it’s not you had people who want to look on this other issue or on this other issue, and it’s a little bit more nuanced than that.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:16:38] Oh, yeah. Hey, speaking of you, pronounce your name Merkl.
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:16:44] Boy QUILLIAN.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:16:46] Oh, no, I because I called Michael Michael McCaul, I mean, between the two of us, we could barely have a conversation. Did you see between Putin and Merkel or Mackle, whoever, you know, the German prime minister, they got the Nord Stream two coming up in 10 days? That natural gas pipeline coming from Germany, I mean, from Russia to Germany, it’s actually being dropped into her hometown.
So I think it’s kind of funny that we’ve got Merkel later now going with Putin. So we’ve got Putin, Merkel later with a natural gas pipeline coming in. And that’s big news for natural gas. And taking a look at Germany, I mean, that’s something else we can chew the fat on later.
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:17:31] Well, this is where Trump was, right. OK, so a lot of people, again, talk about the China narrative where you have the EU narrative. Trump was constantly pounding the drum, which is the EU wants our military to support NATO, but yet they’re buying this stuff from Russia. And here’s how I’ve said it, which is imagine right now you’re sitting there in a big country and you go, you know what? You know what? I will I want to work with the mob. And so you start calling people and you’re like, hey, a little Tony at right?
And like, OK, hey, little Tony’s down here. And so you on your own free will go and call little Tony little touches like, listen, Stu, we’ll protect you. But here’s the price, right? Then you call the police. Hey, listen, listen, guys, I’m in bed with little Tony. Can you protect me? And what happened? Well, I tracked you down. I called him. I paid a set of contracts. But can you protect me like that? Oh, hold on. What did he do exactly? Nothing. I went and found him. And now you want protection from them? Yes, and that’s what the EU does.
They want to do business with the Mafia, in this case, the Russians, and they want us to protect them from those people. Wow. Yeah, and so I got it. It’s to me, it’s the thing I don’t care where the Germans or the Europeans buy their products from, I really don’t. But don’t then come to America and say we need protection from the Russians, will pay more for your product from the U.S. That’s protection because it hurts the Russian economy. And you can you could allow or buy from them, but you don’t need our protection from them because if you’re scared of them, don’t buy from them. You don’t have to.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:19:12] You know, Putin called us when I was doing some imitations and he goes, hey, you’re imitating me like you’re an Italian. So, you know, I’m some mob guy as opposed to doing a Putin. So Putin’s already complained to us on that.
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:19:24] Oh, no. Well, that’s terrible.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:19:27] But, hey, great insight today. We got about two minutes. Any other thoughts today on your China revelations? What’s coming around the corner?
Ryan Ray, Ex US Presidential Candidate [00:19:37] Um, will channel just big. I think that. What I would suggest is for people in the West to watch how China makes these watch weaving policies and where they don’t have direct control, which is far more coal, far less coal. Watch how they struggle to implement new change.
And so with their one to three child policy, they have a demographic issue that will come to bite him in the butt at some point. You’re worried if you’re worried about China as a superpower, they have to have people like that’s that’s pretty obvious. Right? Right. I think that that you’re going to see that they’re going to lift this three child, Paul. They’re going to change to the three-child policy.
And people will not want to have children. And so they are going to struggle and they’re going to try to incentivize people. Now, they don’t have open immigration or our immigration. They have no immigration, is there? I think you’re going to see them take measures to try to incentivize people in China to have more children because they understand that they have a huge problem on their hands if they don’t do something. So, wow, energy to trade to jobs, the imports, exports, all stuff.
Stu Turley, Energy News Beat [00:20:50] So my brain just hurt. I made it all up. So don’t worry. OK, I’ll tell you. Hey, for our podcast listeners, we will have this out on Rumbo and a special two-minute clip of Ryan, Ray, and Stew’s early out fracking a wale in the world, baby fracking.
Well, we’re going to have those on our shirts and the and the show there. So, Ryan, thank you very much, as always. We look forward to your next check-in next month and have you again. All right. We’ll see you again soon.
