The GOP’s gasoline alley

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-gops-gasoline-alley/2012/03/07/gIQAbN9rxR_story.html

Dana Milbank

The GOP’s gasoline alley

By Dana Milbank, Published: March 7

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In fact, domestic oil output has sharply increased under Obama to the highest level in nearly a decade and is expected to continue expanding. Even if that stopped, it’s not obvious that European price levels (which are inflated by taxes) would be an automatic result.

But reason has nothing to do with it. As the stock market advances and the labor market improves, Republicans are losing their best campaign themes. That makes the recent spike in gas prices — in part a byproduct of higher economic growth — a potentially crucial issue for the opposition. The facts aren’t on their side (policymakers have little sway over oil prices; and one policy area that is spurring prices, the prospect of attacking Iran, has been pushed by Republican presidential candidates), but political reality is: The incumbent will be credited or blamed for whatever happens on his watch.

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Republicans weren’t quite so out of sorts when gas prices exceeded $4 a gallon in the summer of 2008, during George W. Bush’s tenure. Democrats tried to remind them Wednesday of their selective outrage. “Let’s quit BS-ing the American people that there’s some policy that any president, Democrat or Republican, or any Congress can do to affect the price of a world commodity,” suggested Rep. Mike Doyle (Pa.).

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Rep. Joe Barton (Tex.) said that for every penny increase in gas, “that’s $1.4 million a day” in higher costs.

“Billion,” corrected Rep. Fred Upton (Mich.).

“Billion? Is it billion or million?” Barton inquired.

“Billion,” Upton assured him.

Million, billion, whatever. In this fight, the facts don’t matter.