Posted on 04/23/2006 4:37:31 PM PDT by Flavius
President Bush Takes Note of High Gas Prices but Offers Little in the Way of Relief
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) -- As oil prices hit a record, drivers worried about $3-a-gallon gas and politicians feared the impact on elections, President Bush on Friday acknowledged the pain but seemed resigned to being able to do little about it.
"I know the folks here are suffering at the gas pump," the president said while promoting his competitiveness initiative at the Silicon Valley headquarters of Internet networking company Cisco Systems Inc. "Rising gasoline prices is like taking a -- is like a tax, particularly on the working people and the small-business people."
But to address the immediate problem, Bush offered only a pledge that "if we find any price gouging it will be dealt with firmly."
Bush said that lowering America's dependance on foreign oil imports will help reduce the country's vulnerability to global oil price fluctuations. On Saturday, the president was pushing his proposals to boost spending to develop alternative energy sources, particularly hydrogen-fueled cars.
Critics say Bush's ideas are too modest and focus on solutions that are far from being a reality in the marketplace.
Crude-oil prices broke through $75 a barrel Friday amid concerns about the standoff over Iran's nuclear ambitions, rebel disruptions of oil production in Nigeria, and tight U.S. gasoline supplies. Analysts say they are likely to climb even higher.
Prices at the gas pump also kept rising and were not considered at their peak, with the average price of a gallon of unleaded regular gasoline at $2.855. That's 3 cents higher than a day earlier and more than 60 cents higher than a year ago, according to AAA's daily fuel gauge report.
Democratic efforts to score political points by focusing on gas prices have Republicans worried that their majority in Congress could be at risk in the fall midterm elections.
High gas prices were hardly the only problem facing Bush's White House as he embarked on a four-day swing to California and Las Vegas. He was traveling with new chief of staff Joshua Bolten, charged with reinvigorating a White House rocked by public discontent with the Iraq war and a series of missteps ranging from an ill-fated Supreme Court nomination to a bungled response to Hurricane Katrina.
Bush's poll ratings are at their lowest point. Hundreds of protesters called for his resignation near the Cisco compound where he spoke.
Even his trip put the president squarely in the middle of a federal-state dustup.
Bush decided not to grant the pre-emptive federal disaster declaration sought for California's fragile levees by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, a Republican who faces a tough re-election fight and has had a chilly relationship with Bush. Instead, the president is allowing the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help speed repairs at the state's expense.
Bush seemed aware of the precarious political landscape.
When Bush turned the microphone at Cisco over to Schwarzenegger, the governor said, "First of all, I want to say congratulations."
"For what?" asked the president, appearing genuinely surprised.
The governor, who had discussed the levee issue during a limousine ride with Bush, replied that he was glad to see the president "really paying attention" to the competitiveness issue.
Afterward, Bush talked privately with scholars from Stanford University's Hoover Institution, including former Secretary of State George P. Shultz, a Hoover fellow and early defender of the use of pre-emptive force to deal with Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq.
Plans to hold the meeting at the Hoover Institution were scuttled when protesters blocked Bush's motorcade from going through the only entrance. Shultz, who was already hosting a private dinner for Bush later at his Palo Alto home, had the session moved to his two-story, gray-shingled house.
One reason for a weekend trip with a lot of downtime in beautiful places became clear even before Bush boarded Air Force One to leave Washington. Crew were seen loading two shiny mountain bikes -- one a red-white-and-blue Trek adorned with the presidential seal and "United States of America." With stays scheduled in picturesque Napa Valley and the Palm Springs area, the bikes weren't likely to remain clean for long.
"Tomorrow I'm going to be riding my bike in Napa Valley. I can't wait," Bush told his Cisco audience.
Before returning to Washington Monday night, Bush was making stops to raise money for the national Republican Party, visit with Marines and Navy sailors, and press Congress to break a logjam over the immigration legislation he wants.
With the increase in technology, the size of tankers and the larger number of wells pumping crude we should expect that gas should be relatively cheaper.
What you said!!!!!
Yes, the lack of any intellectually honesty by the MSM is just that...drivel.
Furthermore it is the GOP/RNC that should be making the case against the wrong-headed environmental regulations of the past 30 years that are causing prices to be where they are (it is not solely GWB job to do this).
Additionally GWB has made his case in both 2000, 2002 and 2004 ...winning both his elections and increasing the GOP numbers to boot (with little to no help from them).
This is the time for the GOP/RNC to take the case of rising gas prices and turn it on the DEM's. Yet they are foolishly looking to argue from a false premise and going down the silly path of calling for "price gouging" hearings!
The GOP should be demanding a 90-120 day stop to all reformulation standards and before they start talking about taxing oil companies more...they should seek a temporary reduction in federal gas taxes.
"WHAAHHHH!!!! ride a frickin' bike, it's 'greener' anyways."
If you want to ride a bike, go to China!
Personally I put my bike in the trash 52 years ago, the day I turned 16.
Too bad the librats restrained themselves from cheering when Bush mentioned his energy policy not going through like they did about Social Security reform at his State of the Union speech. We coulda hung 'em on that.
A nice retro-active 10% tax cut across the board would be a good start.
Problem is that most of the enemedia's viewers are being told that it's Bush's fault for their having to blow over sixty bucks for a fill up. I can only convince so many, and that's getting harder and harder.
Patently false
The cause of these higher prices is Worldwide Growth and Prosperity and it is partly Bush's fault.
I'd like hin to sign some EOs to make drilling and nuke plants happen.
Tell the treehuggers to pound sand.
I think something big is going to happen, though. Soon.
And it ain't fun riding a bike in two feet of snow.
I tell people this:
"What were you paying for your gas in the year 2000 when Clinton was in office? Seventy-five to eighty cents? Well, NOW you're paying for it."
They get a little mad when I do that.
He could start looking for price gouging in Texas. Fox News reported that gas is $3.09 in Dallas and $2.09 in St. Paul, MN.
Texans ship most of the oil in the US and refine a good amount of it too, and they are paying more than the energy parasites. Something is rotten about this.
that price difference is likely due to the blend requirement in each state.
the administration could temporarily suspend the blends mandates with a stroke of a pen.
I actually care about the higher cost of housing and education more than energy, and always in comparison with the rise and stability of income.
You should reevaluate wherever you are getting your info about gas prices in St. Paul. $2.79 a gallon is the average around here. That is down about 10 cents from a week ago.
"And it ain't fun riding a bike in two feet of snow."
Only did it once, in 1949 in Los Angeles. Going down a steep hill on my way to grammer school I went on my backside and it was only 6 inches deep.
Personally, I'd rather be able to buy all the gasoline I need at $3/gallon than be unable to buy gasoline at a "fair" price determined by a bureaucrat. Having lived through the 70's I know that is a distinct possibility if liberal Democrats can turn enough moderates.
Why not go ahead and adopt a single-payer system for fuel and electricity like the European health care system? If all Americans are entitled to free government health care, why not food and energy?
Count on the government to blame problems on greedy oil companies, greedy private hospitals, greedy drug companies, greedy corporations, etc., as if our public "servants" weren't greedy themselves.
This is not the reason why oil has shot up over 40% in the last year. Though I will be the first to agree that taxes on gas (and just about anything else) are way too hig, that's not the cause of this spike. And though Bush may have won his past elections, the Republicans are dillusional if they think they aren't in for a disaster this next election cycle. And much of the reason for that IS Bush.
I, for one, will not be voting this time around. The Republicans are no better than the Rats on keeping promises as far as I'm concerned.
Our soldiers deserve better.
Our GOP base needs to come together and we will by this Nov.
As for gas prices. Yes it has everything to do with 30 years of wrong headed environmental policies that have been supported and implemented by Democrats (and a few RHINOS).
Reformulation standards along with reg's on refineries are definitely a large chuck of the increased prices we are seeing. Additionally there is simply the little reality of supply and demand....there isn't enough supply currently (and clearly not enough supply to pause the spec guys).
Move to Hawaii.
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