Excellent post.
Frankly, the only good rationale that I can imagine for government intervention in export/import markets is national security.
If Reagan (or Cruz?) were President, he might take the very actions we are taking so as to undermine our enemies. As it is, we can credit our oil producers, and hydraulic fracturing, with upsetting the OPEC apple-cart.
Yes! And US private property laws, along with what's left of states' rights.