Just noticed this headline over at the WashPost:
Fuel prices cut into Obama popularity
How ridiculous, how fickle, how petty can the voting public be? Yeah, I know, we’re always like this, but whenever I see statistical proof of the capriciousness of the public affections, I am disillusioned yet again.
This, of course, is why we have never come up with a rational, comprehensive energy plan. We have a conniption over gas prices going up a little bit — something that would certainly happen, along with a lot of other things, if we were to get serious about energy policy.
So we don’t. Ever. Because our politicians only work with one hand at a time, because they have one finger of the other constantly held up into the wind.
I mean, Obama didn’t even DO anything to make prices rise, and this happens, just the way it always does:
Obama, like previous presidents in times of high oil prices, is taking a hit. Only 39 percent of those who call gas prices a “serious financial hardship” approve of the way he is doing his job, and 33 percent of them say he’s doing a good job on the economy.
No wonder politicos are terrified to take action.
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And people wonder at the deteriorating quality of candidates for high office. Would you take a job wherein your boss (ie. the public) would jump you every time you tried to actually get something useful accomplished?
(Chuckle)
Over on Facebook, Stan Dubinsky asks, “So, if gas prices go down, he gets the credit and becomes popular again?”
I answered, “Well, normally it would work that way, with a regular AMERICAN president. But seeing as how he’s a Muslim from Kenya, I don’t think he’d get any bounce from prices dropping…”
And then Stan answers:
“That’s why his popularity would be more reasonably pegged to the price of coffee (a product of Kenya). :)”
I’ve gotta get people off Facebook and onto the blog…
So the fact that Obama has done nothing in 2+ years on this topic absolves him from taking the hit?
And the price of oil probably can be tied to some hidden inflationary pressures caused by the largest deficit spending budgets in history. As the debt grows, the dollar becomes weaker thus lowering its buying power for foreign imports.
A serious attempt to cut government spending would put more money in people’s pockets to pay for the gas.
Will someone please create an inflation adjusted gas price chart going back to 1925?
Even at $3.75 a gallon there’s no need to panic.
A little perspective people!
So the fact that Obama has done nothing in 2+ years on this topic absolves him from taking the hit?
-Doug
Nothing is what libertarian philosophy says we SHOULD do. And where has that gotten us? Ridiculous and unpredictable price fluctuations for the last 38 years.
Mark, there are actually several of these inflation-adjusted price charts floating around. Seems like the 80-81 spike is still the worst. Here’s one example.
http://www.inflationdata.com/inflation/images/charts/Oil/Gasoline_inflation_chart.htm
@ Bud – Sometimes you make so much sense. I agree with both of your last two comments.
@bud
So you agree with Obama’s policy to spend our tax dollars on foreign wars rather than energy independence?
Doug, it’s not either/or. The two things are inextricably linked…
Bud,
Actually that was exactly the chart I had in mind. Thanks for posting it.