A liberal's take on gas prices:

1. 93

   habeeposted 12 years ago

   http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/ … _bush.html
   
   Bush gas at $3 a gallon bad! Obama gas at $5 a gallon okay and not his fault. Got it.

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   1. 70

      Lauryallanposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Hey if you think that's bad you should check out the price of petrol in the UK. Americans have it good. We Brits pay ridiculous prices in comparison.

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      1. 61

         couturepopcafeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         That's Bush's fault, too.

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   2. 86

      livelongerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I never blamed Bush for high gas prices, but then again he did engage in a lot more geopolitical engineering of the petroleum market than Obama has. Maybe also now prices have been high for so long that new records don't have such an impact that a more precipitous rise would.
      
      The magical thinking that some (actually, many) people have that the president can snap his fingers and lower gas prices reflects an exceptionally poor understanding of how pricing of commodity materials works.

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   3. 61

      tirelesstravelerposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Talked with a guy from Argentina yesterday he said gas there is 50cents a gallon.  When all those oil companies pulled out of the gulf they went there.

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   4. 74

      quildonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      I haven't heard anyone mention what news reports have been telling us for the past weeks, that Iran is shutting off the flow of oil to spite the west for imposing embargos on them, and seeing oil prices rise and profiting from it.

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2. 78

   drbjposted 12 years ago

   Of courze it's not his fault, Holle. It's the fault of every hopeful but extremely deluded voter who elected him.

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3. 82

   Pamela Kinnaird Wposted 12 years ago

   There are several really good documentaries out now.  I can't remember all the titles, but one is Crude Awakening and is on Netflix.  (The U.S. Netflix has more titles than Canada Netflix.)  Scientists and specialists in oil have known since 1975 that oil has reached its peak. No president had the gumption or will to let the public know.  It is possible-- with help and knowledge -- the public could have chosen responsible action. I didn't vote Obama in nor will I be voting for him next time, but I know for sure this is a bigger problem than Obama.  Crude Awakening shows that even with all the available other options for energy to run our vehicles, it is only a tiny fraction of what we need daily.  Oil is used in the production of a million products we use every day.

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4. 70

   AEvansposted 12 years ago

   During an election year Gas prices tend to rise and then they fall after elections. Environmental regulation and offshore drilling cause the gas prices to rise along with other factors. In 2005 after Katrina our gas prices rose and they continue to rise. If we were to use our own resources we wouldn't have to pay such high prices. The price on everything in the U.S. is going up not just gas prices, have we forgot Congress?

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   1. 61

      couturepopcafeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      And one of the reasons most items we purchase in the US are going up is a direct result of the cost of oil. Added cost for transportation of goods is added cost to the consumer.

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   2. 93

      habeeposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Oh, I'm not blaming it all on the POTUS. I'm just pointing out that the left was all too ready to blame Bush, but not Obama.

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      1. 70

         AEvansposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         I blame Congress our Presidents are just figure heads for our Country. All of those men are so busy arguing on a daily basis they forget how to fix our problems. They believe they should still be able to make decisions for women, but that is another subject. lolo

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5. 60

   Evan G Rogersposted 12 years ago

   What the heck are you guys talking about?
   
   Gas only costs 15 cents!
   
   http://www.coinflation.com/

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6. 60

   Dave Mathewsposted 12 years ago

   The price of Gas here in Toronto,Ontario, went to $5.60 per gallon and is expected to climb to a wopping $6.00 per gallon by April.

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7. 60

   ib radmastersposted 12 years ago

   The price of gas is dependent on the global monopoly of OPEC and those that shadow OPEC.
   
   The 1970s had oil and gas shortages because of the Middle East dissatisfaction with the US, and today it is from Iran.
   
   NO US Congress nor President since the oil shortages of the 1970s did anything to prevent our dependence on foreign oil. So today dependence on foreign oil is both an Economic and National Defense Threat to our country.
   
   This is not simple economics, oil is controlled by a pseudo global monopoly that can at any time cut the supply of oil. It has more to do with Supply rather than demand. In addition, the number of refineries to make gasoline and diesel fuel has no increased since the 1970s. So greater demand raises prices even when there is an adequate supply of oil.
   
   The US Voters are too blame as well because they chose the wrong candidates at the ballots, and didn't remove stagnant incumbents.

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   1. 60

      Evan G Rogersposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      NO, it's really not. Gas prices respond to inflation just like everything else.
      
      Gas SHOULD only cost 20 cents - 2 silver dimes are worth $5.00 in today's money.

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8. 81

   Alexander Markposted 12 years ago

   I don't see where Obama is excused for the high prices, is this something presented on recent news because I don't watch.
   
   In any case, this Debbie Schultz acts like a young college professor that smokes pot when she gets home and hangs out with political liberal extremists to talk about how terrible this country is. Is this what they do in these meetings? Some of us have to work for a living.

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9. 60

   knolyourselfposted 12 years ago

   As I posted yesterday:
   '"Let’s start here: In December 2011, impervious to dire consequences for the global economy, the U.S. Congress -- under all the usual pressures from the Israel lobby (not that it needs them) -- foisted a mandatory sanctions package on the Obama administration (100 to 0 in the Senate and with only 12 “no” votes in the House). Starting in June, the U.S. will have to sanction any third-country banks and companies dealing with Iran’s Central Bank, which is meant to cripple that country’s oil sales.  (Congress did allow for some “exemptions.”)"
   
   "Iran has halted oil shipments to Britain and France, as retaliatory measure against fresh EU sanctions levied against the Middle East nation."'
   This and speculators.

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10. 62

    prettydarkhorseposted 12 years ago

    speculations - perhaps goes with hoarding, limited supply - Iran = dependency on international sources,   lowering of IR (interest rate) by the feds causing the value of dollar value to decrease - value of Euro is stronger now too!
    
    POTUS can't manipulate the price.

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    1. 61

       carol3sanposted 12 years agoin reply to this

       The speculators, increased usage in china and India, unrest in the middle east, Irainain treats of closing the waters they control from the West,  among other issues.  This is not a left or right blame game.  But it is a serious problem that has no quick fix. I believe the U.S. should look ahead for  another source of energy supply.  If things keep going the way they are now, we will be in serious trouble.    Unfortunately, whoever is the president when the gas prices goes up, unfairly, that person is the one who gets most of the blame.

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11. 77

    lovemychrisposted 12 years ago

    "The Koch brother are infamous for their move to legalize oil futures speculation in the US in the early 90's"
    
    I would bet ALEC has a lot to do with it too.

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12. 60

    ib radmastersposted 12 years ago

    All those people that think gas prices are part of simple inflation need to rethink the real reason for gas prices.
    
    The real important issue in oil and gasoline prices is that the US is dependent on foreign oil. That dependence is both an Economic and a National Defense Issue.
    
    Oil is controlled by a monopoly the main part of which is OPEC but the rest of the oil producing countries follow their lead. The current price of oil is steadily increasing because Iran is not exporting to the US and Europe as a spanking to teach us to leave them alone.
    
    This also happened twice in the 1970s when the Middle East didn't like our support of Israel.
    
    Neither of these events are inflation, and they demonstrate how the oil producers can manipulate prices at will. They are a monopoly of oil and whether it is a true monopoly or just acting like a monopoly, the result is the same.
    
    In addition to oil prices, gasoline prices can be manipulated by the oil companies. There have not been new refineries in the US to keep up with the increase in population since the 1980s. All the oil companies have to do, and they have done it,is to take down a refinery for maintenance and the supply is down, so they can raise the price.
    
    I question the reasoning of those that parrot the inflation reason for the high price of fuel.

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