The price of gas when Obama took office
Liberals are rather aghast that some people assert Obama’s policies have driven the price of gas in this country through the roof. Now that gas is nearing $4.00 a gallon, it’s become an issue to be debated seriously. And, it is:
And:
Gas was not $1.79 When President Bush Was In Office. Why Conservative Lie?
Totally ignoring the obvious:
Gas WAS much cheaper when Obama took office. Sure, it spiked before the election, but by September was in a hard decline. Immediately after Obama took office it rose about 50% to a level and has steadily risen since then. Now, lots of people will attribute that solely to one of several things.
- Greedy banks. Everything since 2008 is the fault of greedy banks.
- George W. Bush. Everything since 2001 is Dubya’s fault.
- Greedy Arabs.
- Rising Chinese demand.
- Global Warming
- Republicans
- US individual greed ( but not theirs ).
I’m going to offer evidence for something completely different.
It’s all Obama’s fault.
It’s very simple, really. Now, although Obama says we don’t have a right to question his policies when gas prices are hurting us, I think it’s my duty as a US citizen to do just that.
- Alaska: Obama approved more drilling offshore, which could take years to develop, while simultaneously blocking all efforts to drill on land. This sounds wonderful to people demanding more domestic production, but can also be used to pander to environmentalists since nothing has actually happened. Net effect, nothing. We can’t even get that oil here efficiently because……
- Canada: The Canadians wanted to build a pipeline to get their oil to the US. It would be huge. It would deliver an almost endless supply of petroleum. The Obama administration delayed consideration of it. So, now they are talking to the Chinese. Once again, nothing is being done. They didn’t approve it, they didn’t deny it. Nothing. The price of gas skyrocketed immediately following that indecision.
- Libya: For reasons I still don’t understand Obama chose to meddle in the internal politics of Libya and assured the death of Muammar Gaddafi. The rebels, in their effort to take out Gaddafi, destroyed most of Libya’s oil production capabilities. Once Gaddafi was taken out, extremists much more violent and anti-US took over. We most likely won’t be getting that oil any time soon. The Chinese, who didn’t meddle in their affairs, have agreements for most of that oil. Once again, the very bizarre inaction in the post-Gaddafi Libya have resulted in putting the US at a disadvantage.
- Syria: Basically the same thing that happened in Libya on a small scale is now happening in Syria on a huge scale. This time, with rebels friendly to the US, Obama has done nothing to stop the carnage while Russia has remained engaged. Advantage Russia as we have absolutely no bargaining chip whatsoever in that situation once Obama made it clear he would do nothing.
- Egypt: Obama stood by and did nothing while the Mubarak regime collapsed. Although not a symbol of honesty, Mubarak did represent stability for a region that desperately needed some. With his collapse things only got worse as the military has resisted any type of democratic reforms and has sunk ever deeper into the hands of radicals. Kiss their oil goodbye.
- Gulf Oil Spill: Following the Gulf Oil Spill in 2010, Obama responded by halting all oil production in the Gulf of Mexico. Very, very, slowly they are now starting to issue new permits.
- Green Energy: Mostly abandoning traditional energy companies, Obama has placed their financial incentive eggs into the green energy basket. The only problem is that industry has yet to prove itself functional to any degree at all. The epitome of the entire situation has manifested itself in the Solyndra fiasco. Obama forced agencies to secure $500,000,000 in loans to Solyndra, and they immediately defaulted.
- Although Solyndra defaulted on a half-billion in public financing, they did get their bonuses.
- Iraq: Not able to get a security agreement where the Iraqis wouldn’t prosecute remaining troops, Obama did what he always wanted and pulled out with no assurances whatsoever with the Iraqis. That oil is now going mostly to the French, Russians, and Chinese.
On and on and on it goes. So far Obama’s response has been his usual:
Only in politics, the president said, “do they greet bad news so enthusiastically.”
We don’t have a right, and it is unpatriotic, to criticize him over the price of gas.
News flash, it’s his fault, he gets the blame.
Some people are blaming peak oil on the price of gas. There is some truth in that. But, we’re not at that point yet. Production world wide, and domestically, is still increasing. There are proven reserves in place to enable the US to be self-sufficient in our petroleum needs while we transition to new forms of energy. Creating an artificial economic crisis over going green will only inhibit that transition since no one will be able to buy the new greener vehicles. And, even though Obama claims this stuff is the panacea of the future:
We are obviously not quite there yet.
So, anyone wanna make the argument it’s NOT Obama’s fault?
