Posted on 04/07/2011 7:24:59 AM PDT by freespirited
For much of President Obama's term, White House aides were convinced the main barrier to his reelection was the worrisome unemployment rate. But even as the economy bounces back, a new political obstacle has emerged: rising gas prices.
Trying to defuse the issue, the White House has arranged a slew of speeches and public events to reassure Americans that Obama has a plan for cutting gas prices.
On Wednesday, Obama flew to Pennsylvania — for a town-hall-style meeting devoted to energy. He travels Friday to Indiana, another important state on the election calendar, where he will appear at an event in Indianapolis also focused on high oil prices.
"It's on the minds of a lot of people right now because you're paying more at the pump. Anybody notice that?" Obama told workers at a wind turbine plant outside Philadelphia. "For a lot of people, money was already tight before gas prices started climbing."
Obama's attention to the issue comes amid new polling that has implications for the presidential race. With the economic recovery gaining momentum, fewer people say they are jittery about losing their job. But a growing percentage cites rising gas prices as a chief concern.
The Pew Research Center is coming out with a report this week showing a majority of Americans say gas prices have a "substantial impact" on their household financial condition.
"The bottom line is, unless gas prices go down, it puts the president in mortal peril," said Douglas Schoen, a former consultant to President Clinton. "Every American faces higher gas prices every day, so in a certain sense, it has the likelihood of being a more serious problem than the unemployment rate, because 9% are unemployed but 100% of the American people have to deal with the impact of rising fuel prices."
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Be careful of what you wish for...
I have an idea, eliminate the Department of Energy and use the money to subsidize gas prices to bring them down and in the meantime drill drill drill.
“...a slew of speeches and public events to reassure Americans that Obama has a plan for cutting gas prices. “
“...a town-hall-style meeting devoted to energy...”
“...he will appear at an event in Indianapolis also focused on high oil prices. “
So what’s the plan?? As usual, Premier Hussein is long on talk and very short on any significant ideas that don’t involve destroying most of America’s most important energy resources, coal and oil.
All yap and no action. These events are little more than fodder for the diminishing numbers of the Far Left faithful.
If there is a danger here, it may lie in this strategy...
There is a vacancy coming on the CFTC in July. A liberal replacing the departing member will give libs a one-vote majority.
Obama could recess-appoint a big lib and they could vote to impose major restrictions on oil speculation. This would have the effect of puncturing the speculation bubble and dropping prices rather suddenly.
If the price is up at $4 in July, and this strategy drops them back to the $3.25-3.40 range, the Media will portray Barry as a conquering hero. It will also reinforce the general Democrat mantra about markets being “broken” and in need of more stringent government regulation.
Obama’s “plan” is to limit the use of your motor vehicle. No joke. He has already announced a plan to tax all vehicles based upon how much you drive them. It’s a very small step to then limit your driving. Presto! Lower gas consumption.
Sounds good to me. It’s going to tank the sluggish economy that’s already in the tank...
“Why am I more confused than Muhammar Khadaffi’s travel agency?”
Thanks I needed that ;D!
And he’s responsible for the tanking economy, and the dumbass energy “policy” which is just a mirror of the environmentalist whacko’s.
When did this happen and how did I manage to miss it?
Must have been the tiniest bounce known to science...but I'm glad we're all better now. /sarc
Nobama is family unfriendly.
On what planet?
Yeah—how about Class for the Clunker!
I think even blacks will sit on their hands in 2012, because they won't want to be embarrassed by him further.
Obama is toast.
He is nothing more than a child's brain in a woman's body.
Price of fuel compounded by the rise in food prices have all Americans noticing.There was not a single post of support that I saw on Yahoo yesterday about his “get used to hgher gas prices” and the remark about trading in.Many posted “can we trade the president in?”.
This story is at odds with the attitude he displayed in this threads article...
“Think about a trade-in”
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2701027/posts
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