Biden Blames High Gas Prices on Litany of Foreign Factors [11 minutes of talking points...]

ABC News ^

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Biden Blames High Gas Prices on Litany of Foreign Factors

Vice President Joe Biden promised students at a Virginia high school a quick explanation for why U.S. gas prices are high and still rising, but then went on for 11 minutes, delving into the complexities of the oil market and of the changes and tensions in the Middle East.

The explanation came when a student at Maury High School in Norfolk, Va., following a speech on college affordability, asked the vice president why gas prices are so high.

Biden said that the average price per gallon, which has nearly doubled under the Obama administration, is tied to a complex global oil market that has skyrocketed because of “talk about war with Iran”; fear that Iran might “take out the Saudi oil fields and Bahraini oil fields”; the Arab Spring movement; “war in Libya”; the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood; and a potential for unforeseen political unrest, such as “chaos in Russia.”

“It’s complicated. You fully understand it. I’m going to give you a brief answer, remembering that famous admonition of Samuel Clemens: He said all generalizations are false, including this one. But I’m going to give it to you as quick and as straight as I can,” Biden said before launching into 11 minutes of talking points.

“I’m treating this answer like I would if I were answering on ‘Meet the Press’ so I hope I’m not offending anybody by just going straight to it,” he said, pausing halfway through.

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they let him out unsupervised?

[anoldafvet]

A Summary of Obama’s actions on energy policy since January 2009:

• February 4, 2009 – Just months after Obama’s Energy Secretary said, “Somehow we have to figure out how to boost the price of gasoline to the levels in Europe,” the Regime begins “scrapping leases for oil-shale development” and cancels 77 leases for oil and gas production in Utah. Gas is $1.91 a gallon.

• March 7, 2009 – ABC News says the White House is “closely monitoring” the expedited Solyndra loan project even as it was delaying new American energy production that would help make us less dependent on foreign energy. Gas is $1.94 a gallon.

• June 27, 2009 - Obama urges the Senate to adopt House Democrats’ “cap and trade” national energy tax – the same plan O once admitted would cause electricity rates to “necessarily skyrocket.” Gas is $2.50 a gallon.

• January 7, 2010 – The Regime announces new bureaucratic hurdles to American energy production that Secretary Salazar admitted “could add delays to the leasing and drilling process.” Gas is $2.67 a gallon.

• March 31, 2010 – Instead of opening new areas to energy exploration and development, Obama blocks deep-ocean energy production on 60% of America’s Outer Continental Shelf. Gas is $2.80 a gallon.

•December 1, 2010 – Obama re-imposes and expands the moratorium on offshore energy production. Gas is $2.86 a gallon. • January 2, 2011 – TIME reports that the Obama Regime issued the first in a series of regulations designed to unilaterally impose a national energy tax. Gas is $3.05 a gallon.

• May 5, 2011 – The Regime issues a formal statement opposing House-passed Restarting American Offshore Leasing Now Act (H.R. 1230), and Putting the Gulf of Mexico Back to Work Act (H.R. 1229) legislation designed to jump start American energy production, address rising gas prices, and help create new jobs. Gas is $3.96 a gallon.

• June 21, 2011 - The Regime opposes the House-passed Jobs & Energy Permitting Act that would unlock an estimated 27 billion barrels of oil and 132 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Gas is $3.65 a gallon.

• November 8, 2011 – The Regime releases a plan for a five-year moratorium on offshore energy production, placing “some of the most promising energy resources in the world off-limits,” according to the House Natural Resources Committee. Gas is $3.42 a gallon.

•January 18, 2012 – Obama rejects the bipartisan Keystone XL pipeline and the more than 20,000 jobs that would come with it. Gas is $3.39 a gallon.

•March 31, 2012– Average price of gas: $4.09

The ONLY place the democrats want to drill is the wallets of the American people.