Republicans Phoney War On Gas Prices

The recent rise in oil prices has prompted Republicans, and the subsequent rise in gasoline prices, as a hot political issue they can use to their advantage. They have put the blame squarely on President Obama's energy policies, as the main reason prices have spiked of late. The current unrest in the Middle East has nothing to do with it, nor does the impact of Wall Street speculators, who some say add upwards of 56 cents plus, to a gallon of gasoline.



So lets look at some facts that are all factors in rising gas prices. 1) Israel has made it well known as a matter of national security, it will bomb Iran to prevent it from gaining a nuclear weapon. 2) Iran has threatened to close the strait of Hormuz, and conducted military exercises there to emphasize it. 3) In response, promising to keep the strait open, the United States sent 2 carrier strike groups into the Persian Gulf. It should be noted 1 out of every 5 barrels of oil pass through this strait. 4) Tensions in the Middle East are much higher than usual. Libya is struggling through a power vacuum since Gaddafi's death. Egypt is struggling to transfer government power from the military to the people. Syria is imploding, and sinking into civil war. 5) To add fuel to that fire, Senator John McCain has taken to the Senate floor calling for the United States to bomb Syria. It should be noted the Syrian regime is supported by both Russia and China, and any military attacks would become a proxy war against those states, Syria is not Libya. 6) All of the Republican presidential contenders, (except Ron Paul), have been quite outspoken about going to war with Iran in order to stop them from obtaining nuclear weapons. 7) At least 3 major oil refineries have suffered fires, or some kind of disaster, that has limited or stopped gasoline production at those facilities. 8) The general atmosphere in the Middle East has Wall Street speculators driving the price of oil up, on the fear that supply could be cut at any time.

Now, in the face of so many factors, is it really President Obama's fault gas prices are rising? Under President Obama, national domestic oil production has risen 8%, after declining during the Bush Administration. Oil rig start ups are up 350%. Supply has never been greater, despite demand being at its lowest level since 1997, which is a direct result of the high prices. So when you hear how gas prices are all President Obama's fault, give them the facts. To illustrate how the Fox News Republican noise machine blames President Obama when he is in office, and "uncontrollable market forces" are responsible when President Bush was in office, you have to watch this clip from The Ed Show on MSNBC which sums it all up quite nicely.

www.msnbc.msn.com/id/45755822/ns/msnbc_tv-the_ed_show/#46661745