Thread: White House seeks to deflect blame over rising gas prices

White House seeks to deflect blame over rising gas prices

By Alister Bull

WASHINGTON | Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:51pm EST

(Reuters) - Under fire from Republicans over rising gasoline prices, the White House on Tuesday highlighted factors beyond its control for gains in global oil markets, as it sought to deflect blame over a potentially damaging election-year issue.

Gas prices, which rose 7 cents a gallon last week, could unsettle economic confidence at a time when the U.S. recovery appears to be gathering pace, hurting President Barack Obama as voters review his track record ahead of the November 6 ballot.

Obama, a Democrat, acknowledged the risk posed by higher gas prices as he welcomed congressional approval of a payroll tax cut extension. The White House later argued that it was unfair to single out the administration over prices at the pump.

Oil prices touched a nine-month high on Tuesday, partly because Asian consumers moved to cut oil imports from Iran following Western sanctions, and this has already had an impact on forecasts across America.

Gasoline prices advanced last week to $3.59 a gallon from around $3.32 at the start of the year, a rise that helped push up U.S. consumer inflation in January, denting household spending power.

Republicans see gas prices as a way to attack Obama's energy policies as they campaign to deny him a second White House term.

They argue the president sees rising prices as a way to alter U.S. energy consumption, while taking aim at his decision last month to reject TranCanada Corp's proposed Keystone XL crude oil pipeline.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/...81K23P20120221

"They argue the president sees rising prices as a way to alter U.S. energy consumption"

They are correct. Look at Obama choice for Energy Secretary, Steven Chu.

"Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe" - Steven Chu in an interview with The Wall Street Journal in September 2008.

No one needs to believe the Obama administration doesn't have anything to do with gasoline prices after Obama made the guy who said the above Energy Secretary. Obama had to be aware of the prospective Energy Secretary's view on gas prices, but Obama nominated him anyway. If Obama didn't agree with Chu's view's on gasoline prices I doubt he would have made the long list for Energy Secretary let alone the short list or nomination by Barry.

Presidents don't control gas prices and yes it was just as pathetic when liberals blamed Bush. Why do conservatives insist on acting like the liberals they despise?

Originally Posted by WatcherOfTheGate

Presidents don't control gas prices and yes it was just as pathetic when liberals blamed Bush.

Their energy policies do.

Originally Posted by WatcherOfTheGate

Why do conservatives insist on acting like the liberals they despise?

It's called payback for Bush. By the way I never voted for Bush in 2000 or 2004. However, the left attacked Bush day and night without let up for near 8 years. Did they think it wouldn't come back to them if Obama was elected? I wish it didn't have to be this way, but liberals chose the path by doing what they did. I know turnabout is hard to swallow when your on the receiving end, but it should serve as a lesson to liberal everywhere that what ever they do may just come back to them by the buckets full.

Originally Posted by Professor Peabody

Their energy policies do.



It's called payback for Bush. By the way I never voted for Bush in 2000 or 2004. However, the left attacked Bush day and night without let up for near 8 years. Did they think it wouldn't come back to them if Obama was elected? I wish it didn't have to be this way, but liberals chose the path by doing what they did. I know turnabout is hard to swallow when your on the receiving end, but it should serve as a lesson to liberal everywhere that what ever they do may just come back to them by the buckets full.

No they don't. Google OPEC. Unless you want to nationalize the oil industry? Are you in favor of socialism?

So you concede you are no better then the liberals were during Bush's Presidency. How sad.

Originally Posted by WatcherOfTheGate

Presidents don't control gas prices and yes it was just as pathetic when liberals blamed Bush. Why do conservatives insist on acting like the liberals they despise?

This president does't control anything that's going poorly and has absolute responsibility for every positive metric. The entire Jurassic media will tell you just that. Again and again.

Originally Posted by WatcherOfTheGate

No they don't. Google OPEC. Unless you want to nationalize the oil industry? Are you in favor of socialism?

So you concede you are no better then the liberals were during Bush's Presidency. How sad.

Its amazing how ignorant some people are about how the oil market works, and yet so absolutely sure in the knowledge that its the President's (any president) fault for gas prices rising.

Seems the free market supply/demand "conservatism" doesn't quite behave as some would have us all beleive.

Originally Posted by WatcherOfTheGate

No they don't. Google OPEC. Unless you want to nationalize the oil industry? Are you in favor of socialism?

Sorry, the oil companies had a way to finance lower gas prices for the U.S. but Obama killed the XL Pipeline. What did you expect to happen to gas prices?

Originally Posted by WatcherOfTheGate

So you concede you are no better then the liberals were during Bush's Presidency. How sad.

Better? I'm just playing the game on the playing field THEY set up. Better is winning the debate.

If the White House did not STOMP on the XL Pipeline, Fracking, ANWR, offshore drilling, and a host of other strong oil and gas producing projects, then speculators would not run the price up. They simply react to energy policy. Barack Obama let it be known that he wanted to run up our energy costs as did his Energy Secretary Chu.

It is 100% Barack Obama's fault.

Originally Posted by Jonsa

Its amazing how ignorant some people are about how the oil market works, and yet so absolutely sure in the knowledge that its the President's (any president) fault for gas prices rising.

Seems the free market supply/demand "conservatism" doesn't quite behave as some would have us all beleive.

You are absolutely correct. I bring you the following evidence to support your claim.

Originally Posted by Professor Peabody

Sorry, the oil companies had a way to finance lower gas prices for the U.S. but Obama killed the XL Pipeline. What did you expect to happen to gas prices?

Better? I'm just playing the game on the playing field THEY set up. Better is winning the debate.

In this post we have someone who just posts RW talking points. But when this poster is shown undeniable evidence to prove him wrong, he refuses to accept it and continues with is failing RW talking points argument.

Originally Posted by HB Surfer

If the White House did not STOMP on the XL Pipeline, Fracking, ANWR, offshore drilling, and a host of other strong oil and gas producing projects, then speculators would not run the price up. They simply react to energy policy. Barack Obama let it be known that he wanted to run up our energy costs as did his Energy Secretary Chu.

It is 100% Barack Obama's fault.

Now this poster is a confusing one. I can't figure if he/she is delusional or not based on this posters failure of a thread he or she created regarding Catholics and contraception. But that is a lil off topic.

In this genius's post, he/she spewed an entire paragraph of horse(*)(*)(*)(*) you hear on talk radio coming from the likes of ass hats such as Rush, Hannity and Levin. Pathetic really.



You will also notice, not one of my examples above even brought a single shred of evidence to prove them correct. That is typical though, of course. It is what makes this place so much fun!

Originally Posted by WatcherOfTheGate

Presidents don't control gas prices and yes it was just as pathetic when liberals blamed Bush. Why do conservatives insist on acting like the liberals they despise?

They don't control them but they sure get blamed for them.

Obama will be no different.