After having ignored energy policy for much of the campaign, Mitt Romney has suddenly discovered a deep interest in the issue, and even argued this week, "There's no question that when [President Obama] ran for office, he said he wanted to see gasoline prices go up."
That's not true -- honesty isn't Romney forte -- but it does raise a broader question about the former governor and gas prices. Alec MacGillis reports today on Romney's recent past, when he "liked high gas prices."
Befitting his profile as a moderate Republican who cared about the environment, Governor Romney responded to price spikes by describing them as the natural result of global market pressures and by calling for increases in fuel efficiency -- the same approach that he now derides Obama for taking as president.
At moments, Romney went so far as to make high gas prices out to be a welcome reality for the foreseeable future, one that people needed to learn to live with. When lieutenant governor Kerry Healey, a fellow Republican, called for suspending the state's 23.5 cent gas tax during a price spike in May 2006, Romney rejected the idea, saying it would only further drive up gasoline consumption. "I don't think that now is the time, and I'm not sure there will be the right time, for us to encourage the use of more gasoline," Romney said, according to the Quincy Patriot Ledger's report at the time. "I'm very much in favor of people recognizing that these high gasoline prices are probably here to stay."
Romney's response to high gas prices while governor fit into his broader effort to promote "smart growth" policies in Massachusetts -- a focus that is rare among Republican leaders but that he took up with alacrity.
When MacGillis sought a reaction from Romney, the campaign "did not respond to a request for comment." Imagine that. (Also imagine how this might be used in a Republican presidential nominating race if Romney had credible, well-organized opponents.)
The irony of this is that Romney, when trying to take old Obama rhetoric out of context, doesn't seem to appreciate the fact that those old Obama lines about energy are practically identical to what Romney himself was saying before his transformations. What's the difference between the gas-policy positions of Obama circa 2008 and Romney circa 2006? There really isn't a difference.
The real debate Americans deserve to see is the one between Romney Version 2.0 and Romney Version 4.0.
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When gas was $2.50 a gallon, and your 1990 heap got 15MPG ,it cost you 16 cents a mile to drive.
Today gas is $4.00 a gallon, and your new ride gets 35MPG. Which is 11 cents mile.
Do the math.
There are several reasons for higher gas prices. Speculation in the oil futures market is an important one. The state of the economy is another.
When Republicans point out that "Obama inherited gas prices at $1.70," they're right. He also inherited a near depression. The increased demand for gas comes in no small part from people buying it to drive to work.
When Romney accuses Obama of bringing about higher gas prices, he is, in part, admitting that Obama's stimulus (inadequate as it was) and other policies have also made the economy stronger.
During the fall debates can one cannidate have a teleprompter and the other one an etch-o-sketch?
Too bad we cannot use an Etch A Sketch to remove Willard Mitt Romney's image from our sight. He is a liar and everyone knows it. How he is getting ANY votes in the Republican Primary is beyond me. He and his fascist brethren are full of gas about gas prices, too. If voting Republican is easier than thinking ( which it is ) then voting Romney is easier than facing the truth.
The Romney campaign is engaged in an increasingly desperate search for something that Mittens can appear to actually care about.
Something he can appear to care about? That's easy.
Anyone else remember "Homes of the Rich and Famous?" Let Mitt give a guided on-camera tour of his houses. That's bound to get him to open up emotionally if anything does.
I can say this is one of a few HUGE lies I've heard politicians say:
Mitt Romney, running for the most flippity floppity most Pinnochio-esque candidates I've ever seen. I think the only reason many people hold noses and would vote for him is they think he can beat Obama. I know some vote for religion and some want to believe the president has magical powers to make everything "like the good ole days". It doesn't work that way, and why do we want to go backwards? OPEC still sets prices, not the president. We HAVE produced more crude oil in the US, during Obama's presidency and taxes have not gone up. FACT. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG0evk8Iad8 and http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0005921.html and http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2011/11/22/president-obamas-record-taxes but he proposes raising taxes on high incomes, which most Americans, including some Republicans support: http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/44061/most-americans-back-obamas-plan-to-tax-high-income-earners/
First Obama inherited a bad economy… true… ding, ding, ding...then HE made the economy worse by raising your gas prices? By limiting spending in a big way, then gave the "making work pay" tax refund and payroll tax cut. Then he raises taxes.. uh what taxes were raised? Cigarette taxes, which I would say need raising again, along with gasoline taxes. I do not smoke, and driving is pretty minimal.
It's not really demand in the U.S. driving up prices, it is demand elsewhere AND the Wall Street folks once again betting on futures and making money on things that hurt US!
We have so many people making tons of money on Wall Street (like Mitt) and those of us that scrape by suffer more. Blame Wall Street and their shills for this. Mitt epitomizes what went wrong for so many Americans. While they got rich (DOW is over 13,000!) we lost jobs, wages cut (my household and others have furlough-CUT wages) AND when the working folks have to pay more for gas that cuts into budgets, PLUS businesses charge more because THEY pay more for fuel.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2012/03/22/qa_what_makes_gasoline_prices_rise_1332424180/
While the Republicans may take the President's words out of context, let's make sure Democratic candidates and campaigns don't do likewise. Dems need to take the moral high ground and always make sure they quote their opponents IN context. The comparison in media ads will clearly show the candidate with values and the one to be supported.
Romney would be the best President we've had since George Washington occupied that spot.