Gas Prices Soar, Like They Do
There have been several recent reports on rising gas prices, mostly focused on the fact that we're kind of doomed. Obama has admitted that he can't simply make the prices go down, and that none of the "easy solutions" many people are clamoring for would have any effect, now or in the longrun. We may — brace yourselves — have to start thinking in a different way entirely.
You know there are no quick fixes to this problem. You know we can't just drill our way to lower gas prices. If we're going to take control of our energy future and can start avoiding these annual gas price spikes ... we've got to have a sustained 'all of the above' strategy that develops every available source of American energy: yes, oil and gas, but also wind and solar and nuclear and biofuels and more.
Also, we could buy cars with better fuel economy, a phrase that came to my attention in those Ford ambush press conference commercials. Obama used his most recent radio address to tell motorists that help is on the way in the form of high gas mileage cars. By 2025, cars will, on average, double their current mileage, which will be helpful when gas prices have skyrocketed to previously unimaginable heights.
That means folks will be able to fill up every two weeks instead of every week, saving the typical family more than $8,000 at the pump over time. That's a big deal, especially as families are yet again feeling the pinch from rising gas prices.
Until then, Obama will likely continue to get criticized by Republican leaders who feel as though he's not doing enough to lower gas prices now. According to Obama, drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve would not immediately fix the problem, but that's what many on the right would have him do. Either way, surely we're all glad "drill, baby, drill" will return to parlance in this election year.
