The interesting thing is that the fuel usage started to crater in late 2005 by this chart. I have created something I call the Biflation Index for a book I wrote that shows the economic peak also coming in 2005.
What this means is that the wheels started coming off the bus with compassionate conservatism, well before Obama, but has continued to accelerate. See my chart here, going back to ‘48.
http://www.futurnamics.com/biflation.php