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Gas prices: There's not much that presidents can do about them
NBC News ^ | October 17, 2012 | John W. Schoen

Posted on 10/17/2012 5:26:16 PM PDT by rightwingintelligentsia

When you pull up to that gas pump and nearly faint from how much it costs you to fill 'er up, you may be tempted blame the government for not doing enough to keep a lid on prices.

Resist the temptation. The truth is the global nature of the world's energy supply means that no president has much power over what you pay at the pump.

The question of whether the nation's chief executive can do anything to lower soaring energy costs has been a bone of contention between President Barack Obama and his GOP rival, former Mass. Gov. Mitt Romney.

That bone was tossed about in Tuesday's debate at Hofstra University in Long Island, N.Y.

“The proof of whether a strategy is working or not is what the price is that you're paying at the pump,” Romney said in response to a question from the audience. “If the president's energy policies are working, you're going to see the cost of energy come down."

If gas prices were driven by decisions made in the White House, it’s a safe bet than any incumbent president would do everything possible to drive them lower ahead of a re-election campaign. With the possible exception of the unemployment rate or the Dow Jones industrial index, it’s one of the few numbers voters care most about when they head to the polls.

(Excerpt) Read more at economywatch.nbcnews.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: debate; gasoline; prices
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This is hilarious. When Bush was up for re-election, the media couldn't stop talking about the "high gas prices," even though they were lower than they are now. The media is shameless.
1 posted on 10/17/2012 5:26:18 PM PDT by rightwingintelligentsia
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

This BS takes me back to the summer/fall of 2008. Gas was around $1.89 & it made the headlines daily as part of the “Bush economy”

The Kenyan can maintain that the price of gas isn’t his fall....but a moratorium on off shore drilling hasn’t helped.


2 posted on 10/17/2012 5:29:29 PM PDT by surroundedbyblue (Live the message of Fatima - pray & do penance!)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
How about handing out more permits? How about unlocking more deposits on public lands currently off limits? How about NOT issuing moritoriums on drilling?

The media themselves said Bush was in the pocket of the oil companies. What on earth did that mean?

What utter crap.

3 posted on 10/17/2012 5:29:39 PM PDT by skeeter
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
You didn't see the asterisk?

*unless a Republican is President in which case it is entirely the fault of a Republican President and his evil oil buddies.

4 posted on 10/17/2012 5:30:43 PM PDT by A message
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9Oek6ZboAI


5 posted on 10/17/2012 5:31:35 PM PDT by Doogle ((USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

If we launch a real energy program the price of a barrel of oil would drop like a rock


6 posted on 10/17/2012 5:32:01 PM PDT by South Dakota (shut up and drill)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

Oh, sure. But a POTUS can “create” jillions of jobs out of thin air. And save the environment by dazzling the dorks with electric cars. See, the energy is so clean: it comes magically out of a plug in the wall...


7 posted on 10/17/2012 5:32:01 PM PDT by rfp1234
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

God forbid that the media could say anything about how much of the price we pay is due to city tax, state tax, federal tax, cost to comply with EPA regulations, the cost of the ethanol subsidy, etc. Take away all these extras imposed by one government agency or another and we would find that our gas might actually be affordable.


8 posted on 10/17/2012 5:32:21 PM PDT by Grams A (The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
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To: skeeter

The Bush spike prices led the news every night!!

Now, nothing a President can do??

Open up drilling areas. Not have a blanket moratorium in the Gulf, which bankrupted many companies. Back off the EPA dogs.

Such utter biased crap.


9 posted on 10/17/2012 5:32:23 PM PDT by TigerClaws
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

By election day, it will be discovered that Romney was the Lindbergh baby kidnapper. I am sure there will be video.


10 posted on 10/17/2012 5:33:21 PM PDT by Delta Dawn (The whole truth.)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
Except that when a Republican is US President, high gas prices are his fault.
11 posted on 10/17/2012 5:33:29 PM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum (Government is the religion of the psychopath.)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
it’s a safe bet than any incumbent president would do everything possible to drive them lower ahead of a re-election campaign

Unless your ideology and devotion to your fringe base override all logic and leave you unable to perceive reality.

The laws of supply and demand work with oil too. Everyone here is very familiar with the phrases "drill here, drill now" and "drill, baby, drill!"

12 posted on 10/17/2012 5:33:42 PM PDT by FoxInSocks ("Hope is not a course of action." -- M. O'Neal, USMC)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

By election day, it will be discovered that Romney was the Lindbergh baby kidnapper. I am sure there will be video.


13 posted on 10/17/2012 5:33:42 PM PDT by Delta Dawn (The whole truth.)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
Well...a President can have the head of the Fed print money into worthlessness thus affecting the exchange rate and drive up the nominal price...

OR

a President could forbid drilling of oil anywhere near the country purchasing the oil...

OR

a President could impose ridiculous cellulosic standards and fine the oil companies for not including a fuel that doesn't exist yet...

OR

Well, you get the idea.

14 posted on 10/17/2012 5:33:56 PM PDT by Aevery_Freeman (All Y'all White Peoples is racist!)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

Dumb as a box of rocks....


15 posted on 10/17/2012 5:34:10 PM PDT by Nifster
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To: A message

Sorry Mr. Schoen. Whatever shred of credibility the media may have had left went out the window last night.

MSM news is no longer a credible news source. (Not that its ever been)


16 posted on 10/17/2012 5:34:31 PM PDT by EQAndyBuzz
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To: rightwingintelligentsia

Maybe a Secretary of Energy Palin could do something about it


17 posted on 10/17/2012 5:35:41 PM PDT by bigbob
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
it’s a safe bet than any incumbent president would do everything possible to drive them lower ahead of a re-election campaign

Yeah, a rational person, who doesn't think that energy prices should necessarily skyrocket might just think that.
18 posted on 10/17/2012 5:36:01 PM PDT by andyk (I have sworn...eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.)
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To: rightwingintelligentsia
I've been putting this sticker on gas pumps:

"Somehow we have to figure
out how to boost the price of
gasoline to the [$8-$10/gal]
levels in Europe." - Barack Obama's
Energy Secretary Steve Chu. Had enough yet???

I've sized mine to fit twelve to a sheet of easy to remove bumper sticker stock...

I will send a dozen stickers to anyone who FReepmails me their address.

I will send the Excel file to anyone who FReepmails me their email address, PROVIDED they promise to only use removable stock.

19 posted on 10/17/2012 5:37:36 PM PDT by null and void (Day 1366 of our ObamaVacation from reality - Obama, a queer and present danger)
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To: South Dakota

Close the Department of Energy

Close the EPA

Stop freezing new exploration in the Gulf on technicalities.

Fed Gov get the heck out of the way.

Then watch what happens.

After it does, we need to hunt down the b_tards who did this to us. Wherever they are. Fed Gov, State Gov, News Media, Non Profit (Traitors) and put them on trial for their treachery.


20 posted on 10/17/2012 5:38:48 PM PDT by Texas Fossil (Government, even in its best state is but a necessary evil; in its worst state an intolerable one)
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