Back in July 2006, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi (CA) appeared at a gas station in Washington, D.C., to draw attention to the high price of gas under President George W. Bush. Back then, gas at that station was $3.19 per gallon, yet today gas prices in the very same location are a whopping $4.45 per gallon — yet Pelosi is nowhere to be found.
But Pelosi isn’t the only one missing. Back in 2006, she stood alongside Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Representatives Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) and Ed Markey (D-MA), all of whom criticized Bush for his energy policy, blaming him for high gas prices. Today, gas prices are even higher under President Barack Obama, averaging $3.90 a gallon nationally — double the price from when Obama took office. Strangely, though, neither Pelosi, Schumer nor Markey have stopped by the Congressional Exxon Station to protest this Administration’s policy. (We’ll give Mayor Emanuel a pass since he lives in Chicago, but gas prices are averaging $4.34 per gallon in the Windy City.)
Taking a ride in the Wayback Machine, we found that along with the press conference, Markey issued a release blasting Bush and Republicans in Congress:
Oil companies are tipping American families upside down and shaking money out of their pockets and guess who is helping them? The Bush Administration and this GOP Congress. Last week, a gallon of regular gasoline averaged $2.93 nationally, which represents a $0.71 increase over prices at the same time last year, and a whopping $1.66 increase over the $1.26 charged for a gallon of regular gasoline when Bush took office.
Pelosi had stern words for the President that month, too, protesting that “The Republicans’ failed energy policy has taken us in the wrong direction, leading to record gas prices that exceed $3 a gallon, record oil prices of more than $78 a barrel, record oil profits that have increased 32 percent, and record dependence on foreign oil.” Nevermind the fact that President Bush sought to increase drilling which, if successful, would have been paying dividends today. By contrast, President Obama is opposing efforts to develop domestic energy resources, thereby leaving Americans stuck with high energy prices.
So where are their stern words for President Obama and his failed energy policy? We haven’t seen them.