Opinion: With patience Obama’s energy policy will work
Publisher’s note: This editorial is from the March 23, 2012, Reno Gazette-Journal.
It’s as predictable as the spring winds over the Sierra: Every couple of years, gas prices climb inexorably in the days before the summer driving season and the hand-wringing begins.
Just as predictably, the blame for the pain felt by drivers is laid at the doorstep of the White House.
Regardless of party, every president is blamed for the higher gas prices, though none is praised when those prices go down again, as they always do (though never quite as far down as the last time around).
It’s been that way since the first gas shortages hit the East Coast during the administration of President Richard Nixon nearly 40 years ago, and it was said that full tankers were waiting off the coast for prices to rise before they would offload their cargoes.
So, it’s no surprise that President Barack Obama is the latest to feel the political pressure.
Facing a difficult re-election campaign, the president came to Nevada to tout his “all of the above” energy policy, which is boosting the state’s economy by supporting its growing “green” energy industry. And, predictably, he was criticized for it.
It should go without saying that the president’s premise is the right one.
Obama has no energy policy!
He just throwing tax money at a faux solution…
….
Did anyone out there read about what Obama said to the soviet union yesterday about our missile treaty? SCARY Stuff …
It’s not in the lame stream press but he was caught on an open mic and it’s SCARY!
How STUPID are people in America anyway?
There is no Soviet Union. Hasn’t been for over twenty years.
No, what is really happening is the President is wasting tax payer dollars on green energy that fails at every turn. Good old Reid though continues to bring in Federal dollars to Nevada so let’s all continue to vote for him… he is a a part of the problem but, the state doesn’t mind him “buying” your votes.
The words “the president” and “right on” don’t go together – at all! Wake up!
The RGJ has been an embarrassment to thought and thinking and journalism forever or so it seems. Producing more oil won’t lower prices just like producing more food won’t reduce hunger.
How did these idiots ever graduate grammer school?
This is capitalism at it’s best. buy low sell higher. Speculators drive the price up and big oil reaps the benefit. I find it amazing that when there is a crisis, usually false speculation, the price of the finished product, gas, goes up instantly on oil that was bought months ago. This creats a huge windfall for the big oil at the gas station on raised fuel prices on oil that was allready purchased. There is nothing that the President or wannabe Presidents can do about gas prices. That is up to the middlemen who buy futures. Let’s say we drill baby drill, do you really think the prices will go down? Not hardly, that wouldn’t be fair to the investors or big oil. When they raise the prices by 50 cents we are getting screwed but they look like heros when it goes down 10 cents but we are still screwed by 40 cents. Ok todd, look for the mispelled word.
Ken maybe you aren’t old enough to remember gas wars or that the price of gas remained about 20-25 cents per gallon for much of the 40’s, 50’s, 60’s, and 70’s until the middle east shut down exporting to the USA and formed the oil exporting cartel. Speculators will not speculate if the world is awash in oil.
Supply and demand always wins out in the long run.
Of course if you buy something cheap and the price goes up will you not sell it for the market price or what you paid for it? And it does work both ways as the housing debacle and scandel illustrates
Ken’s old enough.
As am I. But I grew up in Hawaii, where everything has always been much more expensive than up here. And I remember having to wait in lines for gas on odd/even days. All the while being able to see numerous tankers just hanging out off shore, loaded with gasoline, but not coming in while keeping the prices high.