Deinonychus antirrhopus

Well, Bush did resist calls for price controls on electricity in California. So there's reason for hope.

I think he figured steel tariffs wouldn't make that much difference in the overall scheme of things, but he's got to have enough sense to know that price controls on gasoline would have an enormous impact. Especially since we've tried it before with catastrophic results.

Well, Bush did resist calls for price controls on electricity in California. So there's reason for hope.

Well, there were already price controls in the retail market. And the soft price caps in the wholesale market did the trick nicely.

The link you provide doesn't lead to a story.

I'm assuming that price controls were mentioned in the story but I have no idea about the context implied.

An option for President Bush, if he wants to avoid price controls, is to release oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. This could flood the market in the months preceding the election and remove the high gas price from the consciousness of the voter. Of course, doing so for his political gain will reduce the strategic reserves which are intended for national emergencies. I'd guess most people wouldn't care about the abstract security diminishment and will react positively to lowered gas prices.

Interesting, TangoMan, that you imply a political motive for President Bush for this hypothetical action which the Bush administration has not even suggested and omit to acknowledge the political motivation for the Kerry camp in their ineffective suggestions of diverting the SPP.

Actually, I take that back. It isn't interesting anymore.

"I think the president ought to get on the phone with the OPEC cartel and say, ‘We expect you to open your spigots.’ … The president of the United States must jawbone OPEC members to lower the price."

--Attribution

"`I think Americans ought to be asking where's all the capital we earned overseas after defending some of our OPEC nation friends?'"

--Attribution

WEWS, Cleveland's ABC affiliate, used a news story about the gas hikes to promote the station's own online petition to promote "rage" at gas hikes. Check it out for yourself:

http://www.newsnet5.com/money/2943063/detail.html

Robin,

Are we in a national emergency? If not, then drawing from the SPR would be a decision made for political gain. I wouldn't agree with the withdrawal but I think most people would view it as a popular move because it would lower prices at the pump. Overall, a winning strategy for the President.

You see conspiracies all around you. As for Senator Kerry, his ability to talk out of both sides of his mouth is legendary especially if he can appeal to some group. The diversion plan would be ineffective in that the amounts released would be negligible. It's a half measure. If one believes that gas prices need to come down, then marshall the full resources available to you and do it effectively, not some half-assed attempt that isn't noticed at the pump and hinders the goals of the SPR. Do it right or don't do it at all.

You confuse criticism of President Bush with support for Senator Kerry. They can both be asses at the same time. Your world view may be strictly Black and White, but mine isn't. You haven't read any commentary of mine that comes forth to defend Senator Kerry when Steve points out his frequent gaffes. Steve has pointed out President Bush's weaknesses in the past but now is buried with material, almost daily, of the ineptness of Senator Kerry, so I feel that I'm doing my part by pointing out the ineptness of President Bush.

TangoMan
I disagree with releasing SPR, it has a function and high gas prices ain't it. But I thought the main problem with gas prices was refining capacity? So it seems to me that the only political gain would be by releasing some with no notice immediately before the election.

He might get the votes of a few people unfamiliar with the situation, and the no notice would be necessary to keep any informed opinions coming out between the release and the election.

How stoopid are our politicians that I'm discussing a plan like this?

TangoMan:

Yore insinuating that Bush is willing to release oil from the SPR. KERRY is the one saying that we should stop adding to the SPR, essentially releasing more oil into the market. Kerry. Not Bush. Projections much?

Steve:

As for Bush I wonder if he will be stupid enough to put price controls into place assuring that we don't have enough gasoline.

I have to say I was surprised to see you wrote this. What on earth gave you the idea that Bush would make that stupid of a mistake? They're looking at "short term things" like relaxing the EPA restrictions on the different blends of gasoline. This would allow the supply to be shifted around to higher demand areas more easily.

I know Bush has done some economically stupid things, but come on -- price controls on gasoline would be Kucinich-stupid.

I have to say I was surprised to see you wrote this. What on earth gave you the idea that Bush would make that stupid of a mistake? They're looking at "short term things" like relaxing the EPA restrictions on the different blends of gasoline.

I disagree, it would be steel tariff stupid, and since Bush has already demonstrated he is more than willing to go that specific route....

"I disagree, it would be steel tariff stupid, and since Bush has already demonstrated he is more than willing to go that specific route...."

Not even close. The steel tariffs were dumb, but not catastrophic for most people. Gas lines across the country are another matter altogether.

Bitch, bitch bitch, we're not conserving enough, gas prices go higher, more conservation, bitch, bitch bitch because they're paying higher prices.

Yeesh.

It's like living in Europe, the US is damned if we do, damned if we don't.

But, Alaska's got territorial rights offshore around ANWR and are going to drill.

hehehehehehehehe

Steve,

Ok, gotcha. I guess I'm just less cynical (or more polyannaish?) about the administration's economic wisdom. Hell, if I can remember the linrd at gas stations in the 70's I'd hope someone in the White House could too.

Funny how everyone likes to bash on how the gas prices are up because of shipping and other insignificant purposes of the U.S. getting their oil/gas. Doesn't anyone know that it is all here. Makes people wonder why gas is up so much. Don't you agree?