We just paid $3.01 per gallon here in West Hollywood, purchasing our very first $40 tank of gasoline – and we couldn’t help thinking back 30 years or so when politicians were put on the hot seat when the price of essentials went through the roof. But that was before the country had been thoroughly corrupted by conservativism, and it’s “What Me Worry?” Alfred E. Newman credo.
As consumers feel pain at the pump, record high gas prices are registering as a political problem with congressional Republicans.
At a town hall meeting this week, Rep. Jack Kingston (R-Ga.) wanted to talk about Social Security and Medicare, but the session quickly turned to gas prices.
When Rep. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) toured a Veterans Affairs clinic Wednesday, the first question put to her was: “What are you going to do about the high price of gasoline?”
And a growing number of GOP officials worry that, as the party in power, Republicans will pay their own high price — at the ballot box. They are scrambling to find ways to respond.
“People are mad as hell,” Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said.
Remember: These folks wanted it all, and now they’ve got it. They are so conditioned to find someone to blame – or smear – when things go wrong that it’ll be interesting – and potentially loads of fun! – to see how they handle a political problem that’s not made up.
For example, next year the Gops are planning a full scale assault again on gay marriage. But when the argument comes down to “inflation” vs. “gay marriage,” the dynamics of politics as usual will change in ways they haven’t experienced since they seized control of all three branches of the government.
Watching them try to squirm their way out of this one will be almost worth the price of gas.
