How can we tie higher gas prices to the Republicans?

[Dawgs]

I think it would be the final nail in the coffin if Democrats could show that their policies would have eliminated high gas prices, while the Republican policies have caused the high gas prices.

[leveymg]

1. Who owns the oil industry? Who owns the GOP?

Linkage clear enough?

[Demonaut]

2. Major reason that oil prices go up "Unrest in the Middle East"

the 70's oil crisis was due to unrest and the middle east is definitely in turmoil now.

[Skidmore]

3. I thought they were going up because we don't have enough

refineries online!

Well its a lot of things but mostly greed--check out the oil companies' profit margins.

[Demonaut]

7. simple and quick answer, the trade deficit with China, the growth of

of the economies of India and China and their need of oil has increased dramatically...and the greed of the bush oil men

[Parche]

9. refineries

That is their propaganda

We had the same amount of refineries when Clinton was
President, and the oil prices were around $20 or less
per barrel

They also say the hurricanes are responsible for the
high price of oil, but they were already high and above
$60 even before the hurricanes hit.

[lpbk2713]

4. Pimple-Butt Limbaugh says it's just great for the economy.

Says this is one of the main factors in our present "booming" economy.

His words. I kid you not.

[ProfessorGAC]

8. Actually, He's Correct

The consumption numbers are staying high because an absolute necessity has gone up in price and the money is being spent on it.

However, since the consumer is getting nothing extra for the extra cash, then productivity is not increasing to match the extra cash.

So, the result is an unsustainable situation that will cripple the long term growth by essentially devaluing the buying power of a single dollar earned.

Hence, the only thing keeping the nominal growth from being negative is high gas prices. If short term thinking is one's cup of tea, and a truly sustainable economy isn't important, then he's right!
The Professor

[marbuc]

5. Through their refusal to fund alternative energy development programs

The oil and gas industry has a monopoly on energy supply. Diversification would increase supply and competition, forcing fuel prices down.

[mattclearing]

6. It's not the policies, it's their contributors.

If we can show two things, we're golden:

1. Oil companies donate primarily to Republicans.

and

2. Oil prices are higher than they should be based on demand and refining capacity.

We should invoke Enron's price gouging of California as well, as it's an easier case to make.

[Zinfandel]

10. Just look at the record profits of the republican supporting oil companies

They gouge us and over charge us at the pumps...While BushCo allows them to reap in the largest profits in the history of this country for ANY corporation.

[WI_DEM]

11. Easy--Under Bill Clinton the average gas prices were $1.19/gallon

under Bush the average gas prices are $2.79/ gallon. The same thing with the old charge that Dems are big spenders--point out that under Clinton the budget had the biggest surplus in history and under Bush the biggest deficits.

[zbdent]

12. My favorite of late

$70 million or so to strengthen the levees in Louisiana could have prevented a ton of damage to oil refineries and BILLIONS of dollars spent cleaning up Louisiana . . . but the Repukes had to have a bridge in Alaska to help out 50 people on an island . . .

And the oil companies could have used some of their RECORD PROFITS to strengthen the levees, too . . .

[carolinalady]

13. Here are some figures to work with--a little dated but.....

http://www.democrats.org/a/2005/08/american_famili.php

[Dawgs]

14. My argument isn't so much about why prices are high now.

It's about how the Democrats have tried to correct the problem, say 10 years ago, compared to how the Republicans have tried to address it.

Everyone knows that consumption, demand, and supply have caused the recent rise in gas prices.

[carolinalady]

19. Hard to find info, but I found another link if this is what you are

looking for.

http://www.ncseonline.org/NLE/CRSreports/energy/eng-60.cfm

[NNN0LHI]

15. That would require Harry, Nancy, and the rest of the Dem's to actually...

...get their shit together and harp about this problem and hammer it home constantly on every cable station they could get some face time on. Got to drag them all off the beach's and out of the country clubs to do that though. Good luck.

Don

[Jose Diablo]

16. The refusal of the Republicans to prosecute corporations

with anti-trust laws is the cause of these high prices.

During the Reagan administration, it was explained that the reason for Japan's success and our companies failure to compete was because the government of Japan did not enforce the Sherman Anti-Trust laws. They, the Japanese organized as industry groups and did not compete within that group.

Reagan's answer was to give american corporations relief from those bad anti-trust laws that prevented our very wise american management from properly addressing new competition from overseas.

The Republicans never considered the american management as being crummy managers, little more than store clerks and the only reason american industry was unable to compete was the shortsighted management bureaucracy deeply embedded in corporations. No, it cannot be our managers, it must be those evil Japanese, and of course the communist unions. And the media ate it up.

It's the failure of the Republicans to address the real issues and scapegoating others that is the cause of our economic problems. Going further, the 3rd way Dems are just as guilty as the Republicans on this matter. Yes, boys and girls. I am sorry but Clinton set-up this last failure we are seeing with NAFTA and the further erosion of social programs. The DLC is not the moderate we think it is. It is pro-corporate, anti union and thus the right wing of the Dem party. This last statement won't be popular, but thats what I see with Clinton, both of them.

[Neil Lisst]

17. Bush is Big Oil's Boy

Selling linkage in today's world is marketing. You ask, Dawgs,
"How can we tie higher gas prices to the Republicans?"

Bush is Big Oil's Boy

Say it with me. Repeat it until it appears on Google and other search engines. Say it like a mantra. When you can make some term enter the lexicon, you've manipulated the dialogue.

Democrats tend to argue for days about their Misson Statement while Pubs are littering us with Negative advertising in their increasingly standard First Strike assault long before the election. They are unmoved by the needs we have for hearing everyone out. For them, it's a straight line from Rove to marching orders.

Bush is Big Oil's Boy.

Has ANY segment of the US economy really done well except big oil under Bush? And who is giving them cover, passing MORE tax breaks for them? The Republicans!! The new G.A.S. Act is all them.

http://www.webcomicsnation.com/neillisst

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

18. How much is the higher cost of oil a factor of a diminishing dollar?

An argument certainly could be made that the rapid decline of the dollar under Bush reflects market speculation that US public spending will continue to outstrip government revenues under President Bush. I don't know about gas prices, but I think the cost of oil could be blamed on Bush.