Why the GOP Is Trying to Pin High Gas Prices on Obama (and Gullible Americans Are Falling for It)

AlterNet, TruthOut by Dean Baker | Feb. 28, 2012 (News Analysis)
The Republicans are hoping to blame this rise in the price of gas on Obama's environmentally friendly policies. But here are two major problems with their story.

research shows that voters tend to focus primarily on the direction of change. This means that if the unemployment rate is falling and the economy is creating jobs at a respectable pace throughout the year, President Obama stands a very good chance of being re-elected in November.

This explains the decision of the Republican Party to focus on the price of gas. Full Story »

Posted by Dwight Rousu

More Info

Tags Help
Subjects: U.S., Politics, Business, Sci/Tech
Topics: U.S. Economy, Republicans, Oil and Gas
Note: Clicking on the topics above will take you to our national site.
Stats Help
# Tweets: 13 (as of 2012-02-28)
Editorial Help
Posted by: Posted by Dwight Rousu - Feb 28, 2012 - 9:19 AM PST
Reviewed by: Dwight Rousu (review), Jack Dinkmeyer (review)
Content Type: Article
Edit Lock: This story can be edited
Edited by: Dwight Rousu - Feb 28, 2012 - 9:22 AM PST

Reviews

Show All Comments
Show All | Notes | Comments | Quotes | Links
Jack Dinkmeyer
4.0
 by Jack Dinkmeyer - Mar. 1, 2012

An excellent article which describes another anti-Obama propaganda ploy by the right wing. This time blaming him for rising fuel prices. (The right wing’s microscope searches for blames to lay on Obama). Democrats did the same thing when President Cheney and his dupe, George Bush, were in office. But Republicans have a bigger bitch: after all, Obama took over THEIR god-give right to the presidency, not to mention the other hugie: HE’S BLACK! Those properly anti-Obamazied by the right wing will fall right in line and scream about his gasoline sins. Never mind gas prices are determined by speculators who should be regulated. (Oops! I said “regulated”. Did I utter a “shame-shame” word?)

I’m uncharacteristically describing personal dilemma time at chez Dinkmeyer. The best gas mileage of our three vehicles gets a whopping 19 MPG and at $5 a gallon (16 gallon tank) will cost $80 to fill. Another gets 13 MPG. Using the $5 a gallon formula for a 22 gallon tank, full at $110. And the third–a Suburban, can you believe?–with its 42 gallon tank, rings in at 14 MPG: $210 to fill. Recently we drove one of those 40 MPG roller skates neither of us fits in. Our ... More »

The other problem with the Republican complaints is that production in the United States really does not matter much for the price of gas. Oil prices in the United States ... More »

See Full Review » (20 answers)
Dwight Rousu
4.3
 by Dwight Rousu - Feb. 28, 2012

As Baker concludes: Since the media consider it to be their job to report what candidates say and not access its accuracy, it is likely that the public will go the polls believing that we can again get cheap gas if we just destroyed the environment.

President Obama’s policies have not been especially friendly to the environment. More »

Dwight posted this story.
See Full Review » (13 answers)

Comments on this story Help (BETA)

Sort by: Oldest | Newest Hide All Replies
NT Rating | My Rating

Ratings

4.1

not enough reviews
from 2 reviews (21% confidence)
Quality
4.2
Facts
4.5
Fairness
4.5
Information
5.0
Insight
4.0
Sourcing
3.5
Style
4.0
Accuracy
4.0
Balance
4.0
Context
4.0
Depth
3.5
Enterprise
4.5
Expertise
3.0
Originality
4.0
Relevance
5.0
Transparency
3.0
Responsibility
5.0
Popularity
3.9
Recommendation
4.0
Credibility
4.0
# Reviews
1.0
# Views
5.0
# Likes
1.0
# Emails
1.0
More
How our ratings work »

Topics

U.S. | Politics | Business | Sci/Tech | U.S. Economy | Republicans | Oil and Gas
Note: Clicking on the topics above will take you to our national site.
(See these related stories.)

Links Help

No links yet. Please review this story to add some!