Gas About Gas, Round Two
I dashed off a quick post last night about gas prices and politics. I see today that others see much the same problems with the politicians playing games with gas prices during an election year. Daniel Drezner has a good post up in which he quotes Brad DeLong.
Democrats are (because of the environmentalist wing of the party) generally in favor of higher gasoline taxes and higher gasoline prices–except when gasoline prices are high). Republicans are in favor of letting oil markets "work"–except when gasoline prices are high.
Which about covers the same territory I hit last night, albeit a bit more eloquently. Drezner's point is: why is there such a spin about gas prices. He gives a detailed opinion. I suspect he's hit upon a few good reasons. I also think an enormous amount of this whole thing is election year politics. Period. Last year gas prices jumped. Nobody really paid attention after the initial media frenzy. Prices this year are not nearly as high yet, but we have everyone in the political and media classes screaming for someone to do something.
The left should be very upset with their politicians abandoning their environmentalist positions. The right should be upset with their politicians for trying to pander at the expense of principle.
In other words, business as usual in Washington.
UPDATE: Today's Washington Post carries a story about gas prices. Much gas is expended.
George Gonzalez, an assistant professor of political science at the University of Miami, said the issue gives the Democrats leverage against Republican incumbents. "It certainly creates a bias against the Republicans," he said.
Well, sure. If the story is manipulated just right, it can cause bias in either direction. The fact remains: the only reason people are even talking about this is because it is an election year. Gas prices are an easy distraction from real issues.
Blogosphere, Politics | Gaius April 26, 2006
By Bradley J. Fikes, April 27, 2006 @ 4:18 am
I wrote pretty much the same thing about gas prices. One point I like to make to a colleague is that media company profit margins are higher than those of oil companies.
No one likes higher gas prices, but ducking reality for politics is ultimately bad for everyone.
By Gauis Arbo, April 27, 2006 @ 4:36 am
I hate election years. It brings out the worst in the politicians.