Bush Says Little Can Be Done About High Gas Prices

Sierra Times ^ | 4/22/2006 | AP Staff

[Bikers4Bush]

With our jobs you know if you're going to need to stay late. We work around it.

[Ramius]

you grab the mike at the bully pulpit and pretend you can

LOL... I think that only works for democrats.

[wolfcreek]

But increased gas is going to increase the price of everything

You are absolutely correct! These 'fat wallet' types that don't think the increased price of gas will effect them that much, don't realize the overall effect and that more than a few people out there are living paycheck to paycheck. They too, will eventually feel the pressure.

[mc5cents]

Oh. I thought Republicans were for free market economics.

Most are. But "free market" is a misnomer in these days of ubiquitous government regulation. Do the letters EPA mean any thing to you? Does "reformulated gasoline" ring a bell? It is absurd to talk about a "free market" these days.

[Bikers4Bush]

The fed and state taxes alone on gas are outrageous. they should start there first.

[Alberta's Child]

You've hit on a pathological mindset that affects even people who consider themselves die-hard conservatives. The problem is that people have this idea that everything in this world -- with the exception of their own labor, of course -- should be as cheap as humanly possible.

That's how you end up with the typical case of a medical doctor who calls on government price controls of gasoline because gasoline "costs too much," and a gas station owner who calls for nationalized health care because his medical insurance "costs too much."

[wolfcreek]

Are We justifying here or are you one of the apathetic?

[Puppage]

The fed and state taxes alone on gas are outrageous. they should start there first

You'll get no argument from me on that!!

[texastoo]

We have to wean ourselves off of foreign oil!

I agree. However, the free traders would call you a protectionist. IIRC, the EPA closed down some oil wells in Texas in the 1980's. All of this has a purpose.

[liberallarry]

Am I correct that oil was at $12/barrel in '98? If so can anyone explain how things have changed so fast? Are the basics - supply and demand - so difficult to gauge and predict?

[MinuteGal]

I want the President to grab the mike, lay out the problem, and put the blame where it belongs in an open, truthful manner. I want him to get tough on the environmentalist whackos who are preventing fuel independence and to point out strongly other factors that go into high prices for fuel. I want him all over the freakin' tube.

I want him to show some 'intangible' things such as resolution, fighting spirit and political insight as he explains things to the American public.

What I am seeing is a defeatist attitude, a shrugging of the shoulders, Casper Milquetoast demeanor, and the blaming of the American people for being fuel "addicted".

That really works to inspire confidence at high levels, yah.

Leni

[Don'tMessWithTexas]

Please. Opening ANWR to production and increased conservation will not reduce prices over the short term. Refineries are humming. We are awash in oil.

What do you want the POTUS to do? Place price caps on gasoline? It's amazing how many folks on this board claim to be conservative, but want the feds to control prices when a commodity gets expensive.

Average consumers have more power over the cost of gas than ANY politician. If folks lower consumption, demand falls. As demand falls, prices fall.

[Rebelbase]

"We import gasoline, not just oil, "

Really? First I've heard of this. Details, please.

[linda_22003]

I absolutely agree with you. The "what about me?" refrain sounds odd coming from a group who's supposed to think people should not depend on government for so much.

[ClaireSolt]

It bears repeating, again. Bush is not up for reelection. But congress is. Let people take this out on congressmen. Those who have been on the right side of energy issues will stay. Those opposing Anwar could go. That's strategery for you.

[snowrip]

It's exactly what he's been saying... for the last six years. Have we seen ANY progress whatsoever? We have not.

My point is this: We voted for someone who claimed to be a leader. What we got instead was a politician. Ditto for the House and Senate. Our country is weaker because of an utter lack of will on the part of our republican't "leadership"... and the political weakness of the republicans is illustrated by our current gas prices.

We hold a do-nothing view of Clinton, who for nearly a decade bemoaned the ills of the social security system but did nothing to fix it. Bush is ineffective as a doer, and his spinelessness and disconnect from the American people echoes his father's administration. I pray that he will get off his a$$, grow a pair, and use the last two years of his office to do something, anything, to reverse the slide of our country.

[Coldwater Creek]

You must live under a rock! This is exactly what the President has been doing.

Take some responsibility for yourself.


About the only thing that he could do would be to take some of the federal taxes off.

[xzins]

Even if the president believes this, it isn't a constructive sound-bite to come out of his mouth, imo.

If nothing else he should have made a comment about democratic obstructionism.

[Coldwater Creek]

Idle your car 30 minutes and you will waste 1 gallon of fuel.

People here in the South do it all of the time.

My neighbor will drive his huge truck up in our driveway leave it running and come sit on the porch and visit for half and hour or longer.

[avile]

Bush and his people should be on the airwaves 24/7 talking about Hyannisport windmills and the rats hypocracy,