Pep, you lose me sometimes with incomplete thoughts and assume I can fill in the blanks, but our minds don't work the same, we look at things while most times from the same side from different angles.
As to rise in demand, there is no question demand is up. Just look at rush hour and construction and manufacturing. From my business perspective, things are rocking. As demand goes up, price goes up.
Now if you want to say folks are using covid as a cover for raising prices more then necessary, I won't argue.
As to $2.99 gal gas, I should have clarified I have felt that way for years. Anything between $2.50 and $3 and I am happy. Reasonable enough to not worry about how much I drive, high enough to encourage domestic production. That opinion has nothing to do with politics, though I readily admit current administration has helped raise the price as stated in previous post.
Not sure why you say Trump forced using our own resources, but he certainly made the climate for doing so better. You may be referring to tarrifs which I didn't consider or an executive order for military spending, the latter of which I applaud.
As to the long term economy, we are screwed. From the first time government started giving out money for covid, unemployment , etc, I knew and said we are in trouble because that money has to come from somewhere and they went overboard starting during Trump and continuing under Biden and getting worse.
I liked a lot of the things Trump did or tried to do, absolutely hated his mouth, confrontational attitude and hey look what I have done. We most likely disagree here.
