The gas price blame game

This whole gas price thing is a little confusing. I am still confused as to why gas prices are so high if we have our own reserves. It is unfortunate but the President is not just fighting the Republicans on this one he is fighting his own party. I don't see this turning around until there is some since of 'rest' in the Mideast.

Republicans have a messaging problem on gas prices.

More Americans actually believe in UFOs and ghosts than blame President Barack Obama for causing their pain at the pump.

Three years of hammering away with the “drill, baby, drill” mantra hasn’t gotten the GOP very far politically despite fuel costs crossing into the $4-a-gallon no man’s land.

Now, public angst about the cause of soaring fuel costs centers on Big Oil and market speculators — the same bad guys that Obama and Senate Democrats have targeted with tax increases and federal investigations.

“Vilifying is easier in the short run,” said Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the American Action Forum and a former adviser to Sen. John McCain’s 2008 presidential campaign.

But Obama can’t call checkmate either.

Several more factors suggest all bets could be off on the gas price debate headed into 2012.

Unpredictable world events — think Middle East unrest — have proved to be a catalyst for spiking oil and gas prices. And another big milestone — like $5 a gallon in Milwaukee, Indianapolis or Pittsburgh — may yet prove to be the president’s undoing if that spirals into inflation, lower gross domestic product numbers and higher prices on everyday consumer goods.

“Nobody gets to vote on oil price speculators and oil companies, but they certainly get to vote on Congress and the president,” said pollster John Zogby. “The last time we faced this bad of a crisis, it was one of the things that undid Jimmy Carter.”

Obama has been talking a good game on energy over the past month.

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