President Bush won’t withdraw troop from Iraq before November because it would not be politically expedient for his very meager post-presidential legacy. (What other reason could there be?) But he can help Republican candidates with another nagging issue: gasoline prices. Looks like they’re about to fall, just in time for the elections in November:
JACK CAFFERTY, CNN ANCHOR: …We may have a little good news here. Looks like gas prices are coming down, maybe quite a bit. Traditionally they do drop after Labor Day, that’s the end of the summer driving season. Also federal pollution requirements change then making it cheaper to refine, but there are some other things that are going on as well.
Crude oil prices are coming down. They closed below 70 bucks a barrel this week for the first time since June. One reason for that is we haven’t had any big hurricanes yet like we did last year. And the recent high price of gasoline had that possibility already built in, right now the national average for gasoline, 2.80 a gallon.
According to one survey, that’s the lowest it’s been since April 20 and some experts are predicting after September the 15th the price could head farther south in a hurry, perhaps as low as $2 a gallon by Thanksgiving. That’s a big drop from the recent average of $3.03 a gallon as recently as August 20.
…And of course, … only a cynic would suggest that there might be a relation between the sharp drop in gasoline prices and the upcoming midterm elections. And we don’t have cynics here in THE SITUATION ROOM, do we?
The October surprise is, ‘we must attack Iran’, yet the oil prices will go down.
The last time oil prices went up, I thought they said it was because of the tension in the Middle East. Now with even more tension created by them in the Middle East, what is causing the oil prices to go down?
What really causes oil prices to fluctuate may be confusing, but what is clearly evident is that we need more ethanol, hybrids solar panels, windmills and other smart energy technology.
Looks like the Republicans are now trying a little “foreplay” after the “raping” they have given the public these last 2 years.
Americans fear Bush Team more than they fear “the terrorists”. Just like the German people feared the Nazis more than they did the Russians.
And that’s how Cheney wants it.
“I don’t care if they hate me, as long as they fear me”.
I do not doubt that prices are being manipulated, but I have yet to see more than innuendo. Just how, and at what gateway, are they being manipulated, and by whom?
Why don’t local retailers just maintain prices, as one or two stations do? I’ve seen gas for $2.54 and gas for $2.74 within miles of each other.
Here in Michigan, gas prices have been falling for about a week. Two weeks ago, I was paying $2.90. We’re now down to $2.59. I’ve been telling my kids all week it was because the election is coming up.
Hell yes, gasoline prices are falling and will continue to fall until either President Cheney bombs Iran or after the upcoming elections.
Two reasons:
One, it’s time again for the quarterly profits reports from the oil companies.
Bet they post another record increase in profits. That will go over real well in both the Red and Blue states.
Two, Bush’s buddies at ExxonMobills, Shell and the rest of the usual suspects are getting scared that the Demos might actually win an election.
If that happens, they realize their little con game will be in jeopardy.
So, they will capitalize on American ignorance and shortness of memory to lower prices long enough to make the lumpen proleteriat think the worst is over…until after the first Tuesday in November.
greg bacon
ava, mo
I hope people don’t get fooled. Let’s keep gasoline prices low. Vote Democrat.
Anyone who thinks lower gas prices are not connected to the upcoming elections also think things are going well in Iraq. No matter what we are told, oil prices are controlled by the huge oil conglomerate which includes our current administration. Attacking Iraq & record breaking fuel costs were on the agenda long before 911.
bush, help us get our prices down. i can’t afford to pay all these bills and gas. loser teh gas. or know one will drive and soon everyone will run out of buisness, people are loosing there jobs becuase they dont have enough money to pay for the gallons fo gas it takes to drive there.