Does anybody think the GOP can neutralize the gas price issue?

[WI_DEM]

We have Republicans in Congress writing Bush asking that he look into gas gauging and Bush himself saying he is going to investigate. Cm'on--this administration has been dominated by oil men and they aren't going to do anything to jeapordize their record profits. But I've been watching the media doing various reports to try and convince folks that the president nor the republicans in congress have nothing to do with these gas prices--"even though the Democrats want to exploit it politically."

Do you think the American people are going to buy this crap? My feeling is that they need someone to blame and they are so upset with how things are going in this country that anything that is wrong they will blame Bush and the Republicans for.

[RB TexLa]

1. in the end I don't think people are going to vote on gas prices

[spinbaby]

3. You'd be surprised

I think this gets the attention of people who otherwise don't pay attention. If * makes a big deal about fighting high gas prices and they continue to go up, it WILL hurt him.

[RufusEarl]

5. Americans always vote their pocketbooks,

wish it wasn't true but it is. I also think the american people always blame the president for the economy just or unjust, it always happens. In this particular case it make me extremely happy that they lay the blame for high gas prices at the door step of one GW. Bu$h.

ps. and with a little nudging from the rest of us, the republican party as well.

[WI_DEM]

14. Actually I think it will be the issue which will bring out voters more

than anything including the war in Iraq. People begin to pay attention to their pocketbooks. I would also say I think it probably is the biggest single reason for Bush's decline in the polls over the last many months.

[helderheid]

2. This was designed by a republican:

http://www.thanksalotw.com/

Building a legacy one gallon at a time:



As the nationwide average cost of gasoline crosses the three dollars per gallon barrier, a popular consumer advocate has given America a way to vent.

Talk radio’s Bud Hibbs, known as “America’s Consumer Credit Expert,” says the water cooler talk around the nation has congealed into a single subject: “No one is talking about crime, drugs, sex or TV. The nation is fixated on the cost of gas.

“I was sitting at a red light outside a filling station and saw a SUV with the big oval “W” sticker. In the reflection of the glass I noticed the price of gas was a record high $2.59.

“Who’s to blame? The environmentalists? OPEC? I don't know, but the only one that sets the energy policy in this nation goes by the name of W. If the President can’t do something about it, who can? I'd like to think that with an oil man residing at 1600 Pennsylvania, we'd catch a break.”

That inspired the website, thanksalotW.com. “People are frustrated. They need a way to let their representatives – and W's big oil friends - know we aren’t going to go whistling happily down the highway.”



The website spawned a bumper sticker and now the copyrighted logo is emblazoned everywhere. Gas stations are stocking the stickers on the counter. When people complain about the high cost of gas, cashiers just point to the sticker.

Hibbs, a lifelong Republican, insists this is not a political endeavor. “This is not a Red State or Blue State issue. The dollars coming out of every wallet in America are green.”

___

By the way, if you have credit problems, contact this guy. He's terrific (didn't charge me a dime).

[Lasher]

4. People believed that Swift Boat bullshit, so they'll believe anything.

I wouldn't be surprised to see people buy into a Rovian propaganda campaign that asserts this is Clinton's fault. Maybe Carter too.

[MsTryska]

6. the only way they can neutralize this issue is to bring prices back down

to Clintonian levels.


iirc: .81 - 1.09 per gallon here in the South.

[Chulanowa]

7. The Republicans, maintaining par, will do jack and squat

... and they're all out of jack.

The aim here is for the Congressmen, in light of the president's low polls, start criticizing him in order to distance themselves from him to make themselves seem more electable. You wouldn't see this in 2005 or 2007, certainly.

It's also perfectly clear that they're pooched on this issue. On one hand, they know that they need to rein in oil prices somehow or lose big-time. But on the other hand, they know they can't, because they've sold their souls to big oil. And when push comes to shove, they will side with oil - Better rich and not targeted by Exxon hitmen, than in ofice with no capital to carry out your plans.

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

8. Does anybody think they have to?...

...If the American public doesn't find a way to neutralize Diebold, ESS, Sequoia, and Triad, the Neocon GOP doesn't have to worry about gas prices or anything else.

[helderheid]

10. YOU SAID IT!

[TheFarseer]

9. The strategy seems to be

Convince people that it's the democrats fault and that democrats want gas prices to be higher. Then try to convince people they (Republicans) are trying to do something about it, but big government, terrorists and market forces won't let them do anything.

Sean Hanitty is trying to convince people that taxes take more money than gas prices, but the difference is oil companies provide jobs but the taxes just go to waste. See, you've got to be creative.

[stanwyck]

13. Apparently, that's the rightwing spin

(it's even surfaced here at DU). Another poster was quoting Neal Boortz with the same "it's the taxes - not the oil companies" snakeoil. So. They've got their talking points. We're supposed to commiserate with the poor oil companies -- who are working so hard to keep us in cheap gas. They're barely breaking even.
Right.
Good luck with this fairytale, Bushies.
Trust no one to remember seeing "Fat Bastard" Exxon CEO retiring last week with his 400million+.
Or to pay attention to the current Lay/Enron debacle.
Or remember Bush strolling hand in hand with the Arab sheik.
Or to even have a clue who the Carlyle Group is and why that's important.

[TheFarseer]

17. The idea that gas taxes are the problem

is the most self-serving spin. We had gas taxes in the 90's when gas was under $1. Does anyone remember that? Bortz is a dangerous kind of crazy. He's another person that should quit his job and live in the sewer to avoid paying taxes.

btw - Hanitty meant ALL taxes, not just gas taxes. He ran down a huge list. As if I should be outraged that the government charges a nominal fee for a hunting license!

[Coastie for Truth]

11. Joe Six Pack - and the Macomb County Reagan Democrats

-and the Killers of Vincent Chin -- will know that 12 mpg Chevie Suburbans and Ford Explorers did NOT save their jobs or their GM and Ford -- as GM goes into Chapter XI -- and Japanese hybrids and econo cars flood the streets.

[radfringe]

12. not as long as they bow and scrape to bush* (long rant forgive me)

like it or not - they have abandoned their own policies and campaign platforms and have taken up the bush* flag

as far as I know they are still touting the "we won't impeach - vote for me" mantra which translates to "we won't hold bush accountable"

as far as the Dems exploting it politically - it's nothing less than the Republicans did with Clinton/Gore during the 2000 campaign

remember when Clinton opened the national reserves - the GOP Choir was denouncing it as a campaign stunt.

When gas took a jump a couple of years ago - we were told it was because there was a lack of refineries.

last fall - it was blamed on Katrina and damage to the refinery capacity

late winter-early spring - it was because of market jitters over Iran

the excuse now is refinery capacity and the switch to ethenol as an additive and market jitters

no where in here do I see a lack of oil as a reason for the shortage and rising prices.

now bush comes out today and gives us an economics lesson on supply and demand, (quite the opposite position from his supply side policies) - he hasn't jawboned anyone, nor told OPEC to keep the spigots open. Instead he diverts oil from the reserves.

welllllll - if the refineries can't handle the demand now, and Iran is still causing market jitters - how is dumping more oil into the flow going to lower prices?

It's not - it's smoke and mirrors to make bush* look like he's doing something. Please note - a couple of days ago he said he didn't have any control over the gas prices - yet here he is saying he can lower the prices by putting more oil into an over-burdened system.

he's also calling for an investigation into market price fixing, manipulation.
This is from a guy who received a big chunk of money from the oil industries, who leads a party that receives big chunks of money from the oil industries.

(forgive a rummy moment) Do I think an investigation will amount to anything? NO

the toon below says it all:

[Kansas Wyatt]

15. Right after Big Oil jacks the price up another dollar

The Republicans will spew a bunch of rhetoric, and Big Oil will drop gas prices by one dime. Republicans will make re-election commercials dramatizing how they stood up to Big Oil and fought for hard working Americans at the pump, while Democrats only wanted to play the blame game.

[Patiod]

16. Well, his reduction of give-aways to Big Oil is a start

of course the reductions will take place

OVER TEN YEARS

:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

[jsamuel]

18. only if the democrats stop talking about it and let them have all the say