Remember this time of year back in 2008. The average cost of a gallon of regular was $3.17.
And in the Vice-Presidential debate, Joe Biden had this to say:
“I was recently at my local gas station and asked a guy named Joey Danco. I said, ‘Joey, how much did it cost to fill your tank?’ You know what his answer was? He said, ‘I don’t know, Joe. I never have enough money to do it.’”
In October of 2008 you couldn’t turn on the news without some “journalist” crying about how people were having to choose between gas and food. Every liberal politician and news reporter said it was the President’s (Bush’s) (and let’s not forget Cheney’s) fault.
By the time Obama and Biden took office the price of gas had fallen to only $1.93/gallon. I guess it was just Obama’s charisma and magnetism that brought it down to that price.
So fast forward to today, October 2012, the average cost of a gallon of regular is… $3.82. That’s 20% higher than when Biden told his story; AND 98% higher than when he and Obama took office.
So you can imagine the stories… coming… form… the media… Yeah, you’ll have to use your imagination, because they’re not there. (Sound of crickets) It seems the Mainstream Media has decided four years later that there is little their President can do about gas prices.
Liberal Media Bias? You Bet Your Sweet Ass!
Your math’s a little off. $3.17 in 2008 is $3.39 today. If gas is $3.82 today, the increase is 11%. How dare the media not break this earth shattering story!
Maybe it’s not a story, because (a) who’s in office has NOTHING to do with the price of a global commodity like oil, and (b) the difference in the price of gas at the start and end of the Bush administration ($1.51 in 2000, $3.17 in 2008) is much worse, even adjusting for inflation (from $2.22 to 3.39 in 2012 dollars, or 35%).
But wait! the conservatives say. There are other factors to consider! 9/11, war, etc. Yes, of course. And Obama has been involved in three Middle Eastern wars in just four years, and may be in a fourth very soon.
AND… the President does not affect gas prices.
As you often say… next! 🙂
My bad. 17%, not 11%. Switched the thingy.
Price of gas in 1980: $1.25 ($3.49 in 2012 dollars). Price of gas in 1988: $2.30 ($4.48 in 2012 dollars). Oh no! What did Reagan do in his eight years? The price of gas went up 22%!
So, either blame Reagan too, or admit the President’s administration doesn’t control the price of a global commodity. Those are your choices.
My math was dead on. Had I adjusted for inflation, I would have stated it in the post. I saw no need to cloud the issue. You can bet the MSM didn’t give Bush that luxury either.
>> Oh no! What did Reagan do in his eight years? The price of gas went up 22%!
Oh no! What did Obama do in his four years? Gas went up 98% if you calculate the difference on the day Obama/Biden took office instead of the October debates. Adjust that for inflation and you might get the number into the low 90s. And he did it all in half the time! 🙂
>> So, either blame Reagan too, or admit the President’s administration doesn’t control the price of a global commodity. Those are your choices.
As usual 🙂 you totally miss the point of the post. It’s not about the price of gas under what President or if the President has control or not. It’s about the bias of the media.
You say the President’s administration doesn’t control the price of a global commodity. Let’s say you’re right for the sake of argument.
TODAY, the MSM agrees with you. Thus the chirping crickets instead of stories about gas prices. Four years ago, they didn’t agree with you. Thus the starving people choosing between fuel and food.
Four Years Ago: MSM NO AGREE
Today: MSM SI’ AGREE
So… Something happened in those four years to change their mind. There is something in play today that wasn’t there four years ago to help them see your logic.
What could that be? Hmmmm…
Maybe a DEMOCRATIC PRESIDENT!
LMB? YBYSA! 🙂
For the record : Presidents do have some limited control of gas prices. Their control is generally based on their decision to either harm/hinder or support domestic production through:
1. Limiting Drilling (mainly offshore)
2. Impose Excessive Regulation
For the record: What did Fox predict for gas prices, this very summer?
On Fox, Liz Cheney said, “People are saying $6 a gallon, $7 a gallon, but you’ve got to be tuned into the right channel to hear those forecasts.”
I guess it’s like those private polls you talk about. Oh, if only I was a member of the country club/unholy cabal where the REAL numbers are reported. Sigh. I just have to rely on those crazy lib’ruls and their wacky agenda.
I’m sure glad there’s no conservative media bias (CMB) to worry about on this sensitive topic. The Murdoch machine is #1 in popularity and truthiness! No, they’re not GOP lapdogs, at all. Uh-uh. I trust them to tell me exactly what I’m supposed to think.
>> For the record: What did Fox predict for gas prices, this very summer?
Why do I think this is a trick question?
Q: If you have a bucket full of water and pour half of it out. How many buckets do you have left? 🙂
A: Fox News! Those Fascist Bastards!
>> On Fox, Liz Cheney said…
A guest/contributor on a talk show says something and it becomes a corporate statement of fact?
LMAO!
Poor Fox News… their lawyers and executives must be pulling their hair out reconciling the corporate dictates issued by Huan Williams vs. Carl Rove vs. Alan Colms vs…:)
I don’t know why. I really don’t.
So, Liz is an analyst for FoxNews — an employee, not a “guest” — and a former member of the Bush administration, but what she says on FoxNews should not be taken as a statement by FoxNews, and, in your world, her background has no bearing on what she says. FoxNews is not the mouthpiece of the GOP, but a fair and balanced media outlet.
How do you do that? It’s amazing.
>> So, Liz is an analyst for FoxNews — an employee, not a “guest”…
And so are Huan Williams and Alan Combs and Bob Beckel and a host of other liberals to provide balance to Fox’s pundits on the right.
How do you ignore that? It’s amazing.
Of course the answer is; you ignore it by never actually watching Fox News; but just regurgitating what you’re told about Fox News.
>> but what she says on FoxNews should not be taken as a statement by FoxNews
No more so than the opinions of any other paid pundit (left or right). It’s their opinions; it’s what they are paid to give.
I suppose you think NPR publically owns and embraces every statement and view made by its paid contributors? Of course they don’t.
It’s like me paying you to give me your perspective and insights on Mitt Romney. You write the paper, post in on my blog (as I asked) and cash my check. According to your logic, I now officially think Romney is a corporate asshole.
So, you’re saying you watch liberal media regularly? Or do you just regurgitate what conservative pundits say?
>> So, you’re saying you watch liberal media regularly?
Yes.
As I’ve stated in this blog before, I listen to (and yell at) NPR (Morning Edition and All things Considered) on a regular basis; several times a week, probably equating to two or three hours a week. I’ve even been known to listen to their smarmy game show “Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me” on the weekends.
They are #2 on the memory buttons on my radio… just to the right of #1, Fox News. 🙂
I even made a special point to listen to NPR this morning because I wanted to left’s reaction to the VP debate last night. It was fawning and brief. This was especially dedicated and tough since I had to endure a lot of wasted air time (see below).
For full disclosure; I have to admit that I have not met my NPR quota this week or last week. They’re in full beg mode here in Shreveport and I’d no sooner contribute to them than the Democratic or Communists Parties (seeing little difference).
>> Or do you just regurgitate what conservative pundits say?
I, of course, listen to conservative pundits and agree with their assessment of a leftist bias in most of the old, legacy media.
But, my opinion and gurgitations are my own and based on first-hand experience on a regular and consistent basis.
Wow. So, you live next to your parents out in the sticks, listen to talk radio hours a day, get angry, and blog … dude, you’re becoming the male version of the cat lady. 🙂
Come to Dallas, see a show. Cecile will hook you up with someone nice. She’s a matchmaker. Nobody who’s getting laid cares this much about politics.
A few corrections and clarifications:- My parents live next to me… Technically, I own the property.
- Out in the sticks… You dam right; I finally escaped you crazy urban nuts!
- Listen to talk radio hours a day… No, I listen to and from work, and maybe at lunch which may account for an hour a day.
- I do read profusely… (Wall Street Journal (iPad), Washington Times(iPad), Conservative Chronicle(iPad), USA-Today (Web), Houston Chronicle (Web), and AP/Reuters News Feeds (Web))
- Get Angry… No, I’m not angry. You’ve never seen me angry.
- And blog… yes I suppose you could call it that. I call it sharing my wisdom with the world.
- Cats?… You know my opinion on cats… I own a dog, Blossom (my nieces named her)… but she eats cats.
>> dude, you’re becoming the male version of the cat lady.
You make it sound like I sit around my house all day…
>> Come to Dallas, see a show…
I took my nieces and nephew to see “The Lion King” just a few months ago.
I have tickets to see “Les Miserables” in November. It is my favorite Broadway production… being so spiritually uplifting.
I’ll probably take my nieces and nephew to see “Wicked” again early next year.
I do have to track down a viewing of the latest (Part II) Atlas Shrugged Movie.
I just built a 6 core, SSD (no hard drives), liquid cooled, monster PC.
I regularly go on Texas Hold’em Poker junkets. I placed 26th out of about 120 in a Livingston Tournament last month.
I regularly play the stock market, making brilliant decisions on Apple, Google, and PriceLine and not so brilliant decisions like Netflix.
I just spent a week tromping through thickets; subduing nature to my crushing will; while killing little tree rodents.
I’m not hurting for things taking up my time…
Would love to see you and Cecile in Dallas (or you guys meet us in Houston). We would have to agree no religion or politics for others sanity. Thank Cecile, but I’m not much into the matching stuff. Been there done that…
>> Nobody who’s getting laid cares this much about politics.
I’ve always been passionate about politics as I have anything and everything else I choose to be a part of. 🙂 I’m blessed and extremely happy with my life.
Agreed on politics and religion. Probably good advice in general.
I’ve visited Center and Houston about 100 times since returning to Texas. I genuinely appreciate you and Rob coming out to the wedding, but overall, it’s been a pretty lopsided friendship., travelwise.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I know folks care about me. It’s just that im more of a curiosity than a close friend. If I we’re in y’alls shoes, I’d probably do it the same way. Im an odd duck.
I’ve spent too much of my life trying to fit into other peoples dreams. Probably comes from a poor relationship with my parents. And, it’s probably time to let all that old stuff go.
This isn’t just an East Texas thing. It’s true across my geographies. Im just way out on the thin part of the bell curve. When I say what I really think, I piss people off. Even nice people. Probably like you, right now. 🙂
>> I’ve visited Center and Houston about 100 times since returning to Texas. I genuinely appreciate you and Rob coming out to the wedding, but overall, it’s been a pretty lopsided friendship., travelwise.
I’m sorry you feel that way. Rob and I travel to Houston almost on a monthly basis to play D&D and visit. We note that very few games happen in Center; but must admit that logistically; with Lee, Nathan, & Scott living in Houston; and it being closer for Ed… it is the logical choice. Still we would like a game in Center once every blue moon; so we know where you’re coming from.
Rob and I also discuss on these trips how much we wish you could/would join us.
>> Please don’t misunderstand me. I know folks care about me. It’s just that im more of a curiosity than a close friend. If I we’re in y’alls shoes, I’d probably do it the same way.
I personally consider you a very old and close friend; and care about you a lot. You are in my prayers. Travel time is not an indicator of how much WE value your friendship.
>> Im an odd duck.
Puuulllease! Married, two kids, a pet or two, in a Middle America job, living in the suburb of a major city.
Vs.
Never married, old bachelor, living in the middle of nowhere in a slightly renovated 50 year old house, within a 100 yards of his parents. Living the hick dream of hunting, and fishing while holding down a job as an IT manager for a small company.
Friday, I helped mom get her Jeep to town to be checked out and realigned after she hit a 200 lb. pig the night before. This weekend I spent all Saturday walking behind dad as he plowed up ground and I spread fertilizer and seed for oat patches (for deer hunting).
And you’re an odd duck?
>> I’ve spent too much of my life trying to fit into other peoples dreams. Probably comes from a poor relationship with my parents. And, it’s probably time to let all that old stuff go.
If by letting it go, you mean to stop dwelling on it. Then yes. Look at what you have accomplished despite that! Two well-adjusted young ladies that you’ve raised on your own for one thing.
>> This isn’t just an East Texas thing. It’s true across my geographies. Im just way out on the thin part of the bell curve.
Geographically, maybe. And only because of chance. More of our group ended up in Houston; instead of Dallas.
Friendship wise, ridiculous.
>> When I say what I really think, I piss people off. Even nice people. Probably like you, right now.
In all our years of knowing each other. You have really pissed me off only once. Do you frustrate me? To no end. 🙂
Thank you.