Convenience store chain Sheetz will begin selling unleaded <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/gasoline" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gasoline</a> at $1.99 per gallon in celebration of the <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/thanksgiving" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Thanksgiving</a> holiday.
The special price will be available from November 21 through November 28 at every location that sells Unleaded 88 gasoline. The company is headquartered in Pennsylvania and also has stores in West Virginia, Maryland, Ohio, Virginia, and North Carolina.
“Sheetz is a family owned and operated company and we are always looking for ways to help the communities we serve,” CEO Travis Sheetz said in a <a href="https://www.sheetz.com/newsroom/article?title=sheetz-drops-gas-prices-to-199gallon-for-unleaded-88&amp;id=7efJ7jtm4d2jjdsJxZONkn" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “We are excited to extend this offer to our customers as many of them start hitting the road for the Thanksgiving holiday.”
The promotion occurs as the national average price for gasoline reaches $3.64 per gallon, according to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from AAA, marking an approximately 53% increase since President Joe Biden assumed office at the beginning of last year. Average prices are $4.01 per gallon in Pennsylvania and $3.41 per gallon in Virginia.
Biden administration officials have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/white-house-press-secretary-claims-americans-are-saving-on-gas-under-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">insisted</a> that recent declines in gas prices from their $5.00 per gallon highs over the summer are attributable to efforts from the commander-in-chief. “Every month, the typical two-driver family saves about $120 at the pump compared to where we were in mid-June,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre recently said. “Every day, Americans save about $420 million at the pump compared to mid-June.”
In response to soaring energy prices, which have been among the most salient factors behind overall inflationary pressures, Biden announced in March that his administration would <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-to-release-more-oil-from-strategic-reserve-ahead-of-midterms" target="_blank" rel="noopener">release</a> 180 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, a stock of emergency crude oil intended to manage supply disruptions in energy markets. Transactions for the final 15 million barrels will clear by the end of December.
Food prices have also driven inflationary pressures over the past two years. Earlier this month, grocery chain ALDI announced a similar promotion through which customers can enjoy discounts as high as 30% on certain Thanksgiving staples. &#8220;Providing amazing products at the absolute lowest prices is what we&#8217;ve always done, and we know right now that&#8217;s more important than ever,&#8221; ALDI U.S. President Dave Rinaldo said in a <a href="https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blast-from-the-past-aldi-rewinds-pricing-on-thanksgiving-favorites-301663833.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press release</a>. &#8220;We expect to welcome tens of millions of customers in our stores this Thanksgiving season, and we want them to know they can count on us.”
According to an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/amber-waves-of-pain-thanksgiving-dinners-will-be-20-more-expensive-this-year" target="_blank" rel="noopener">analysis</a> from the American Farm Bureau Association, the overall cost of a typical Thanksgiving dinner has risen 20% since last year. The price of a 16-pound turkey has risen from $23.99 to $28.96, marking a 21% increase as an outbreak of the <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/crying-fowl-government-warns-of-turkey-shortage-ahead-of-thanksgiving" target="_blank" rel="noopener">avian flu</a> impacts flocks across the country, while the costs for cubed stuffing mix and one dozen dinner rolls have surged 69% and 22%, respectively.
Some reports have indicated that Americans may be switching from turkey to chicken in order to save on the holiday, while others may find less expensive alternatives at restaurants. Butterball CEO Jay Jandrain remarked during an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/chickening-out-butterball-ceo-denies-americans-will-switch-from-turkey-to-other-thanksgiving-fare-because-of-inflation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> that his company has nevertheless shipped “more product this year than we did last year” and predicts that shortages will not impact the holiday season as “everybody should be able to get just exactly what they’re looking for.”

Sheetz Gas Station And Convenience Store In Pennsylvania

Convenience Chain Sells $1.99 Gas For Thanksgiving Week

Sheetz Sells $1.99 Gas During Thanksgiving Week

Business

Economy

Gas Prices

Inflation

Thanksgiving

Companies are continuing to warn against the diesel fuel shortage and how it will affect the trucking industry moving forward. 
South Carolina Trucking Association CEO Rick Todd recently spoke about the problems facing trucking businesses and the reasons behind the fuel shortage, as well as high costs. 
“Truckers are feeling the hurt right now. Supply chain challenges just keep coming,” he <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/trucking-oil-companies-ramp-warnings-diesel-shortage-put-ourselves-situation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> on Fox News, adding that truckers often essentially pay cash for gas and don’t get paid for several weeks or more. 
Todd also advocated for a more gradual approach to integrating new technology.
&#8220;We should … as a country take a longer-term view, do everything we can, put everything on the table,&#8221; Todd said. &#8220;But in the meantime, stick with what works until you can replace it, and then make sure that when you do replace it, that it&#8217;s scalable.” 
&#8220;Nobody wants to be force-fed any alternative technologies or anything until they&#8217;re done,&#8221; he added. &#8220;So I think we put ourselves in this situation unnecessarily.”
A few weeks ago, numbers were released that revealed the country has 25 days of diesel reserves, leading to high delivery costs this month. However, as diesel production is expected to continue, the U.S. is not projected to run out despite having limited supply.
The costs are up nearly 40% for the month of November. The smaller companies are the ones who will feel the pain the most. 
&#8220;There&#8217;s no way any company can absorb cost increases like this, and any business that can&#8217;t pass on their costs isn&#8217;t going to stay in business for very long,&#8221; Todd said. &#8220;The larger fleets are a little bit better positioned to deal with these kind[s] of conditions, but the smaller fleets … 91% of the nation&#8217;s truck fleet, these companies have six or fewer trucks.”
&#8220;So we&#8217;re really talking about Main Street-type businesses, and it&#8217;s a huge strain on them to be able to keep up with these costs,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;They try to pass them on, but rarely are they able to do it 100%.”
Fuel supply business Mansfield Energy recently said the northeastern and southeastern areas of the United States will see shortage of diesel fuel, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/energy-company-warns-of-diesel-shortages-in-multiple-parts-of-the-country" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
He said the diesel shortage is “a combination of bad policies,” but added that a lot of factors have been outside of their control, as well. 
In addition, oil costs could get up to $100 this year and be more than $120 in trading in 2023, a leading analyst Amrita Sen of Energy Aspects noted, per <a href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/commodities/oil-prices-diesel-crisis-shortage-eia-biden-energy-europe-russia-2022-10" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Business Insider</a>. 
&#8220;We are expecting [oil] prices to go towards $100 into the year end, and really trade into the $110s and $120s for most of next year,&#8221; Sen told <a href="https://twitter.com/bsurveillance/status/1587050604765057024?cxt=HHwWgMC4mbqHq4YsAAAA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg</a> earlier this week. 
However, the diesel shortage is a bigger problem. 
&#8220;We just haven&#8217;t built [diesel supplies] over the summer,&#8221; Sen said. &#8220;And that&#8217;s what we tend to use in the winter if it does get very, very cold.&#8221;

A clear day in Nevada

Trucking CEO Discusses Diesel Shortage, Says ‘Truckers Are Feeling The Hurt Right Now’

South Carolina Trucking Association CEO Rick Todd Discusses Diesel Shortage, Says ‘Truckers Are Feeling The Hurt Right Now’

Energy

Gas Shortage

Truckers

U.S.

President Joe Biden faced backlash Thursday for false claims that he made about the price of gasoline when he took office.
Speaking at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, New York, about Micron’s plan to invest in chips manufacturing, Biden falsely claimed that the price of gasoline was $5 per gallon when he took office.
&#8220;And because of the actions we’ve taken, gas prices are declining,&#8221; Biden claimed. &#8220;We’re down $1.25 since the peak this summer, and they’ve been falling for the last three weeks at well — as well. That’s adding up to real savings for families.&#8221;
&#8220;Today, the most common price of gas in America is $3.39 — down from over $5 when I took office,&#8221; Biden said.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) slammed Biden over the false claims.
&#8220;This is a blatant lie,&#8221; Cruz tweeted. &#8220;And — even in his diminished state — @JoeBiden knows it. Every single media &#8216;fact checker&#8217; has a responsibility to unequivocally call out this, quite literal, gas lighting.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Joe Biden says gas was &quot;over $5&quot; when he took office. 
He&#39;s lying — again. The average price for gas was $2.39/gallon when Biden took office. <a href="https://t.co/lpSz1DsAOy">pic.twitter.com/lpSz1DsAOy</a>
&mdash; RNC Research (@RNCResearch) <a href="https://twitter.com/RNCResearch/status/1585733743179956224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;GasBuddy data shows that the most common prices when Biden took office were $2.29, $2.19, $2.39 and $2.09, the top 10% averaged $3.26/gal, while the bottom 10% averaged $2.00/gal,&#8221; energy analyst Patrick De Haan tweeted. &#8220;The median price was $2.29/gal.&#8221;
Former Margaret Thatcher aide Nile Gardiner tweeted, &#8220;The outright lies from the Biden Presidency are a disgrace and are extremely condescending. Biden treats the American people with contempt.&#8221;
&#8220;Biden is an inveterate, remorseless liar,&#8221; former White House official Stephen Miller tweeted.
&#8220;It’s not hyperbole to say Joe Biden is the biggest liar in presidential history,&#8221; radio host Jesse Kelly tweeted. &#8220;And that’s saying something because they all lie all the time. But he tell these bizarre black and white lies that any idiot can verify. It’s honestly very strange.&#8221;
Fox News commentator Guy Benson wrote, &#8220;He keeps saying just totally false, easily falsifiable stuff about gas prices.&#8221;
&#8220;I look forward to the ACKSHUALLY Reuters or AP &#8216;fact-check&#8217; on how when you consider the inversion principle of the fallopian tube, and congregate it with adverbs aplenty alongside ball bearings, this claim from Biden is &#8216;mostly true,'&#8221; podcast host Steve Deace tweeted.
Radio host Andrew Wilkow tweeted: &#8220;As soon as he cannot use the SPR that price is going right back up.&#8221;
&#8220;No matter how often you repeat a lie, it still doesn&#8217;t change the fact that it&#8217;s a lie,&#8221; Jennifer Stefano tweeted.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-admin-claimed-trip-to-saudi-arabia-wasnt-about-oil-new-report-suggests-they-lied">Biden Admin Claimed Trip To Saudi Arabia Wasn’t About Oil. New Report Suggests They Lied.</a>

US-POLITICS-BIDEN-TECHNOLOGY-MANUFACTURING

Biden Blasted For ‘Blatant Lie’ About Gas Prices

Biden Blasted For 'Blatant Lie' About Gas Prices

Executive

Joe Biden

Politics

Sometimes electoral politics is disappointingly simple. The final argument the GOP must make before the November election has little to do with nuanced policy positions and everything to do with reminding voters that President Biden has been ineffective at solving the problems that worry them most.
Yes, most of us wish we lived in a country where the average citizen was not a low-information voter, where candidate nuance was rewarded, demagoguery was punished, and building meaningful accords of compromise and consensus was the expectation of our elected officials.
But <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/mega-maga-trickle-down-biden-makes-bold-claim-on-how-he-fixed-the-budget-after-republicans-blew-it-out">electoral politics in 2022</a> is not tantamount to wonkery or college seminars, and high-minded cerebral discourse is simply not where we stand in our civic life today.
If Republicans want to triumph in a few weeks, the best advice is extraordinarily straightforward: keep the focus on simple, real-world issues and let the historic winds of normalcy sail the party boat to victory.
I know, I know, I am supposed to beg candidates to talk with subtlety and innuendo about complex public policy positions. Inflation, the war in Ukraine, energy supply shocks, surging crime, and anxiety over public education are supremely complicated issues. Talking about these issues in broad, bumper sticker quotes or in sleek snarky Twitter-speak encourages a form of democratic decadence and adolescent politicking that supposedly signals the end of the republic itself. While the GOP could fairly be accused of being light on its plans for governance — there was <a href="https://www.wbur.org/onpoint/2020/08/25/gop-no-platform-2020-trump" target="_blank" rel="noopener">no party platform in 2020</a> and the <a href="https://www.republicanleader.gov/commitment/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">House’s “Commitment to America”</a> barely lasted a single news cycle before fading into obscurity — simply opposing President Biden’s record and agenda will probably be enough to win a bi-cameral victory come November.
Don’t talk about election fraud in the final days. Don’t denigrate the FBI. Don’t focus on the lives of politicians or the endless grievances of Donald Trump. Don’t prosecute issues that invite outrage. Most Americans aren’t on Twitter. They don’t endlessly watch cable news or live or die by the latest revelations of the Durham Report or the January 6th Committee.
Focus on what average voters know to be true because of their daily life.
<ul>
<li>They know their gas prices are out of control and that President Biden is beholden to the agenda of environmental progressivism. They know President Biden was rhetorically hostile to drilling on federal lands (<a href="https://grist.org/politics/biden-promised-no-new-drilling-on-public-lands-heres-why-he-broke-that-promise/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">though not in reality</a>) at the same time he begged <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/saudi-arabia-says-biden-admin-asked-postpone-oil-supply-cut-month-rcna52037" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Saudi Arabia</a> and <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidblackmon/2022/10/07/america-wants-more-oil-but-only-from-other-countries/?sh=5a720da33608" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Venezuela</a> to pump for oil.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>They know inflation seems to know no end. They know the Federal Reserve is concerned enough to raise interest rates at a historically fast clip. They might or might not know inflation is just as bad, if not worse, in England and the European Union, but they definitely know the profligate $1.9 Trillion American Rescue Plan (ARP) probably exacerbated the problem, which even the <a href="https://www.ny1.com/nyc/all-boroughs/news/2022/03/11/american-rescue-plan-one-year-90-percent-obligated" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House admits</a>. It wouldn’t take a lot to remind voters of some recent history, that Biden and his congressional coterie of wild spenders wanted a $3.5 Trillion bill that would have done the equivalent of spend $<a href="https://www.heritage.org/budget-and-spending/commentary/4-ways-understand-democrats-35-trillion-spending-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1,000 per second for 111 years</a>.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>They know crime is bad, especially in progressive enclaves like Los Angeles and San Francisco where even actress Susan Sarandon is <a href="https://www.foxla.com/news/actress-susan-sarandon-video-california-homeless-encampment" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posting videos</a> that look more like clips from the apocalyptic scenes of Terminator films than modern day America. Moreover, they know the voices yelling “defund the police” came from Biden’s party.</li>
</ul>
For better or for worse (mainly worse), the 2022 mid-term election cycle has furthered the nationalization of congressional politics. The paucity of local concerns and regional issues in congressional races subverts the Madisonian hope that national leaders can both reflect the anxieties of local constituencies while working towards the common good of the country. You know House races have become nationalized when they <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/10/19/1130031998/how-abortion-is-affecting-midterm-elections" target="_blank" rel="noopener">focus more on abortion</a> and the Supreme Court than issues like homelessness and a reliable electric grid.
A nationalized election, however, allows Republicans to keep it simple and speak to the overarching realities of broad economic pain. Republicans can safely wrestle control from Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in the House, and maybe even grant Mitch McConnell (R-KY) his dream of becoming the longest-serving <a href="https://www.senate.gov/senators/longest-serving-party-leaders.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Senate party leader</a> in history. Of course, there are anomalies and October surprises. The midterms of 2002 were conducted in the traumatic wake of 9/11 and bucked the near-universal rule of the president’s party losing congressional seats in a midterm election. George W. Bush’s DUI revelation in 2000 and Hurricane Sandy in 2012 are examples of how last-minute events can change electoral trajectories.
But the data is clear: from 1934 to 2018, the party of the President averaged <a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/analyses/the-2022-midterm-elections-what-the-historical-data-suggest" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a loss of twenty-eight seats and four Senate seats</a> during midterm elections. Only three times in the same time span has the President’s party picked up seats in the House. While President Biden’s approval rating is better than it was in July, it remains <a href="https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/biden-approval-rating/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stuck in the low-40’s</a>, hardly a recipe for broad Democratic Party enthusiasm.
There will be plenty of hysteria in the coming weeks, replete with warnings that this is the “most important election” of our lifetimes and that the Republican Party is a mortal threat to democracy itself.
But just remember: if the GOP triumphs, another stint as majority leader by mellow Mitch McConnell probably will not alter the arc of human civilization itself. And a House of Representatives led by Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) — full disclosure, he is my congressman and a personal acquaintance — is not going to cross any political Rubicons or transform the inner-workings of the institution he leads. His majority will be slight and nothing in his leadership portfolio suggests his reign would bear any resemblance to the centralized speakerships of Joseph Cannon — “Czar Cannon” — Sam Rayburn or Newt Gingrich.
It is both college essay season and midterm election season, but the advice for both activities is the same: keep it simple, keep it real, trust the reader, trust the voter.
Jeremy S. Adams is the author of Hollowed Out: A Warning About America&#8217;s Next Generation, recently released in paperback. He has taught American civics for 24 years in Bakersfield, California and was the 2014 California Teacher of the Year (DAR). You can follow him on Twitter @JeremyAdams6.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Low angle view of people lined up to vote

Keep It Simple: The Closing Argument For The GOP Heading Into November

2022 Midterms

Federal Reserve

Readers Pass

Among the issues drawing attention from voters ahead of the midterm elections are the economy and inflation, with as many as 84% naming the former as a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-midterm-poll-spells-bad-news-for-democrats-on-the-economy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">top factor</a> on their minds.
As rising <a href="https://www.jec.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/republicans/2022/8/state-inflation-tracker-july-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">price levels</a>, soaring energy costs, ballooning national <a href="https://taxfoundation.org/publications/state-local-tax-burden-rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">debt</a>, and <a href="https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">labor</a> shortages lead the economy into a technical recession, candidates running as Republicans therefore have a clear advantage over their Democratic counterparts. Residents of each swing state, however, were uniquely impacted by the disruption of the past two years, as various Republican campaigns explained to The Daily Wire.
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ArBOzBgA0k">CLICK HERE TO WATCH ELECTION WIRE FOR ALL THE LATEST NEWS AND POLLING ON THE UPCOMING MIDTERMS</a>
<h2>Pennsylvania</h2>
Total inflation under Biden — 11.2%
Unemployment rate — 4.2%
Price of regular gas — $3.95
Effective tax rate — 11.4%
Beyond the more recent inflationary pressures, political battles in the Keystone State are perennially centered upon fossil fuels and energy independence due to the commonwealth’s extensive hydrocarbon resources. Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro and Republican State Senator Doug Mastriano are vying to replace Governor Tom Wolf, a two-term Democrat.
“Inflation has taken a massive toll on working families across Pennsylvania, who are struggling to cope with the surging prices of food, gasoline, and other basic goods,” a spokesperson for the Mastriano campaign told The Daily Wire. “Regrettably, Democrat lawmakers have failed to rebuild our economy and reboot our energy production — which is why so many Pennsylvanians are concerned about Josh Shapiro, who is an ideological replica of President Biden and Governor Wolf.”
The retirement of Republican Senator Pat Toomey marks one of the few opportunities for progressives to flip a seat in the upper chamber. <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/dr-oz-is-a-cowboys-fan-fetterman-appeals-to-philadelphia-sports-fans-as-pennsylvania-senate-race-gets-even-tighter">Democratic Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman</a> is seeking to defeat Dr. Mehmet Oz, a Republican, in one of the most closely watched races in the cycle.
“Pennsylvanians are fully aware that the commonwealth is uniquely positioned to be one of the most prosperous states in America,” the Mastriano campaign continued. “Our energy sector alone has extraordinary potential to help our country become a global energy powerhouse.”
Pennsylvanians are therefore expected to strongly consider climate and energy policies as they seek to replace two longtime incumbents.
<h2>Georgia</h2>
Total inflation under Biden — 13.9%
Unemployment rate — 2.8%
Price of regular gas — $3.24
Effective tax rate — 8.9%
Although families in the Peach State continue to struggle under high prices, residents are experiencing a robust job market and a relatively light tax burden in comparison to the rest of the country. Former football star Herschel Walker, a Republican, is attempting to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/herschel-walker-reminds-pastor-raphael-warnock-theres-a-baby-in-that-room-as-well-on-abortion-question-during-debate">unseat Democratic Senator Raphael Warnock</a>, while Governor Brian Kemp, an incumbent Republican, is campaigning for a second term against Stacey Abrams, a former Democratic state lawmaker. 
“As Governor Kemp meets with hardworking Georgians on the campaign trail, one of the top concerns they have is rising cost of living,” the Kemp campaign told The Daily Wire. “That is why Governor Kemp is campaigning on his record of creating economic opportunity and championing relief through tax cuts and refunds that returned billions to Georgians&#8217; pockets.”
Kemp ended lockdowns for businesses such as bowling alleys, nail salons, and fitness centers as early as April 2020, breaking from most other state executives.
“Because Georgia led the nation in reopening, our unemployment rate is now at its lowest point in state history, more Georgians are in the workforce than ever before, the state has celebrated two straight years of record-breaking economic development, and we&#8217;ve been able to use billions in surplus revenue to help families fight through the inflation crisis,” his campaign added. “Contrast that with the failed policies of blue states like California and New York who kept their economies shut down and are now battling soaring crime, unemployment, and energy prices.”
Georgians who benefited from an economy that has generally outperformed the national average may not be eager to attempt a different formula.
<h2>Nevada</h2>
Total inflation under Biden — 15.4%
Unemployment rate — 4.4%
Price of regular gas — $5.18
Effective tax rate — 9.6%
With a robust tourism sector, the Silver State was among the hardest hit by government lockdowns, over which Democratic Governor Steve Sisolak presided. The incumbent is running against Republican police chief Joe Lombardo, and Democratic Senator Catherine Cortez Masto is attempting to win a second term while fending off <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/laxalt-leads-cortez-masto-for-u-s-senate-as-republicans-surge-in-nevada">former Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt</a>, a Republican.
“Nevada is worse off than the rest of the country in all economic metrics,” the Laxalt campaign told The Daily Wire. “Gas costs more than $6 per gallon in parts of Nevada, inflation is at 16%, double the national average, rent has become unaffordable for many Nevadans, and mortgage rates are rising with interest rates as Biden and Cortez Masto continue to tax and spend, pushing America further into an inflationary recession.”
Nevadans who lost their jobs during the lockdowns and continue to suffer more than their countrymen under pervasive inflation may be inclined to crown a different set of leaders.

US election results map. American Presidential Election results.

Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nevada: How Swing States’ Economies Could Influence Their Midterm Races

Georgia

Nevada

Pennsylvania

U.S. Senate

Unemployment

Fox News White House correspondent <a href="http://www.dailywire.com/topic/peter-doocy/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Peter Doocy</a> sparred with Press Secretary <a href="http://www.dailywire.com/topic/karine-jean-pierre/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Karine Jean-Pierre</a> during Wednesday&#8217;s daily briefing, asking her why President Joe Biden thought gas companies would do anything to help him if his administration wanted to put them out of business.
Doocy put the question to Jean-Pierre in the wake of the president&#8217;s announcement that he planned to <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/biden-to-release-more-oil-from-strategic-reserve-ahead-of-midterms/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pull additional oil</a> from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) in order to sell it, then buy it back once the price of oil falls to around $70 a barrel.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Doocy: &quot;Well, they produce fossil fuels &amp; this President says he wants to end fossil fuel.&quot;
KJP: &quot;So&#8230;Oil production is up and on track to reach a record high&#8230;We&#39;ve seen that&#8230;from their&#8230;profit margins. They are&#8211;they&#8211;you know, they&#8211;it&#39;s record high.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/EEF4Og3VwZ">pic.twitter.com/EEF4Og3VwZ</a>
&mdash; Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) <a href="https://twitter.com/CurtisHouck/status/1582815708949336064?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Doocy began by noting that Biden had once again blamed gas companies for raking in record profits while failing to lower their prices to consumers, and asked why an administration that had repeatedly demonized and hamstrung the oil industry believed the gas companies would do anything to help them.
&#8220;So, you&#8217;re asking oil companies to further lower gas prices. What makes you think they are going to listen to an administration that is ultimately trying to put them out of business?&#8221;
&#8220;How? How is the administration trying to put them out of business?&#8221; Jean-Pierre asked.
&#8220;Well, they produce fossil fuels and this president says he wants to end fossil fuel,&#8221; Doocy replied.
&#8220;So look, you kind of asked me this question yesterday,&#8221; Jean-Pierre pushed back. &#8220;Here&#8217;s what we would say: U.S. oil production is up and on track to reach a record high next year. We&#8217;ve seen that from their &#8230; when we see their profit margins. They are — they — you know, they — it&#8217;s record high.&#8221;
Jean-Pierre&#8217;s comments came on the heels of Biden&#8217;s announcement explaining the administration&#8217;s energy strategy, after which he claimed to &#8220;<a href="https://dailywire.com/news/biden-claims-to-debunk-myths-about-oil-production-house-judiciary-gop-offers-one-word-response/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">debunk</a>&#8221; a myth about domestic oil production.
&#8220;Let’s debunk some myths here. My administration has not stopped or slowed U.S. oil production. Quite the opposite. We’re producing 12 million barrels of oil per day and by the end of this year, we will be producing one million barrels a day more than the day which I took office,&#8221; Biden said.
Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee <a href="https://twitter.com/JudiciaryGOP/status/1582792404234432512" target="_blank" rel="noopener">responded</a> to the president&#8217;s claim with just one word: &#8220;Liar.&#8221;
The official Twitter account for <a href="https://twitter.com/Rasmussen_Poll/status/1582816942804520961" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Rasmussen Reports</a> took a different tack, sharing a screenshot of a CNBC headline that was published just a week after President Biden was inaugurated. &#8220;Biden suspense oil and gas leasing in slew of executive actions on climate change,&#8221; the headline read.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Briefs Media

Doocy Spars With Press Sec: Why Would Gas Companies Help An Admin That Means To ‘Put Them Out Of Business’

Doocy Spars With Press Sec: Why Would Gas Companies Would Help An Administration Out to Get Them?

Karine Jean-Pierre

Oil and Gas

Peter Doocy

<a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/biden-administration" target="_blank" rel="noopener">White House</a> Press Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/karine-jean-pierre" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Karine Jean-Pierre</a> claimed on Tuesday that Americans are saving money on <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/gas-prices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gasoline</a> under President Joe Biden.
The national average price for gasoline <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gas-prices-hit-grim-national-average-of-5-per-gallon" target="_blank" rel="noopener">surpassed</a> $5.00 per gallon this summer, even though prices at the pump are currently $3.85 per gallon, according to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from AAA, marking a nearly 62% increase since Biden assumed office at the beginning of last year. Jean-Pierre nevertheless contended that the recent decline is the fruit of the commander-in-chief&#8217;s work to decrease costs for Americans.
“Gas prices have fallen by $1.15 from their peak, which was not too long ago,” she told reporters at a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/press-briefings/2022/10/18/press-briefing-by-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-october-18-2022/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">press briefing</a>. “The ninety-eighth consecutive-day decline this summer was fastest in over a decade. Every month, the typical two-driver family saves about $120 at the pump compared to where we were in mid-June. Every day, Americans save about $420 million at the pump compared to mid-June.”
Jean-Pierre, however, neglected to mention that prices were as low as $2.38 per gallon before Biden assumed office and $3.53 per gallon when Russia invaded Ukraine.
“Now, gas prices are falling again,” Jean-Pierre continued. “The average retail price is down by five cents over the last week. States that saw sharper increases in recent weeks are also seeing more rapid declines.”
Some regions are indeed witnessing especially severe rises in gas prices. For example, residents of California are paying an average of $5.94 per gallon for regular fuel and $6.59 for diesel.
Biden has emphasized green energy throughout his tenure while <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-administration-severely-cuts-back-on-oil-and-gas-leases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">leasing less federal land</a> for oil and gas drilling than any administration since the end of World War II. He has also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-could-refill-strategic-oil-reserve-at-80-per-barrel-democrats-blocked-trump-when-oil-was-24" target="_blank" rel="noopener">presided over a decrease</a> in the Strategic Petroleum Reserve from 638 million barrels to 409 million barrels, according to <a href="https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&amp;s=WCSSTUS1&amp;f=W" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from the Energy Information Administration. Soon after his inauguration, Biden also <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/keystone-pipeline-dead-killed-by-biden-thousands-of-jobs-lost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nixed</a> Keystone XL pipeline project expansions.
The White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/10/18/fact-sheet-president-biden-to-announce-new-actions-to-strengthen-u-s-energy-security-encourage-production-and-bring-down-costs/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> on Tuesday that officials would release another 15 million barrels from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve by December as a completion of the 180 million barrels Biden vowed to release earlier this year. When one reporter pressed Jean-Pierre on why the release was necessary if gas prices are trending downward, she claimed that Americans would receive “a little bit of breathing room” as a result of the policy.
“President Biden has said for months how he is committed to doing everything that he can in his power to address Putin’s price hike,” Jean-Pierre said. “He has said this on almost every speech that you’ve heard him talk about when it comes to gas prices and what the American people are seeing and feeling at the pump. And he’s been delivering on that.”
Democratic officials have claimed that the high energy prices will accelerate a shift toward renewable power sources. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/buttigieg-explains-to-texans-why-they-should-buy-electric-vehicles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">told</a> the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee that the “pain we are all experiencing from the high price of gas” would cause more Americans to seek benefits from electric vehicles. The Biden administration has set the “ambitious target” of ensuring that electric vehicles constitute 50% of car sales in the United States by 2030, according to a <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/12/13/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-electric-vehicle-charging-action-plan/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fact sheet</a> from the White House.

Press Briefing Held By White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre

White House Press Secretary Claims Americans Are Saving On Gas Under Biden

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre Claims Americans Are Saving At The Pump Under Biden

White House

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) recently argued that soaring <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/gas-prices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gasoline prices</a> in his district are largely induced by actions from <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/saudi-arabia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Saudi Arabia</a> to restrict oil production.
Saudi Arabia joined <a href="http://dailywire.com/topic/russia" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Russia</a> and other members of OPEC+ in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/saudi-arabia-helps-russia-cut-oil-output-in-slight-to-united-states-sending-prices-soaring" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slashing petroleum output</a> by two million barrels per day beginning in November, constituting 2% of global oil demand. Khanna, who represents Silicon Valley, argued during an <a href="https://twitter.com/tomselliott/status/1580316231353061377?s=43&amp;t=KXFn2BE04ddgBtjy_hAyzw" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a> with Fox Business that the kingdom bears much of the responsibility for high energy prices.
“First, I blame the Saudis. They are totally outrageous and ungrateful in cutting production and hurting the American people,” Khanna said, also blaming the Federal Reserve for “buying back corporate bonds and mortgages for way too long” and Russian President Vladimir Putin for causing “aggravated supply chains” through the Ukraine invasion.
Gas prices in California have reached an average of $6.20 per gallon, according to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/?state=CA" target="_blank" rel="noopener">data</a> from AAA, while prices in Khanna’s district have reached $6.50 per gallon. One year ago, prices at the pump were $4.45 per gallon.
During a visit to Saudi Arabia three months ago, President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-reveals-the-next-phase-of-american-involvement-in-the-middle-east" target="_blank" rel="noopener">touted</a> the necessity to “ensure adequate supplies” of energy and fulfill “global needs.” Though he did not specifically mention oil, many had <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/adam-schiff-rips-biden-for-fist-bumping-saudi-crown-prince" target="_blank" rel="noopener">speculated</a> that encouraging higher output in response to elevated gas prices in the United States was a primary factor behind Biden’s visit — a suspicion that appeared to be validated after the Saudi government <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/bidens-threat-after-saudis-nix-midterm-friendly-oil-plan-looks-like-quid-pro-quo-says-shapiro" target="_blank" rel="noopener">released a statement</a> this week revealing Biden’s request to delay the production cut until after the midterm elections.
In another Fox Business <a href="https://video.foxbusiness.com/v/6313427837112#sp=show-clips" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interview</a>, Khanna said that the Saudis betrayed the United States, the nation’s primary supplier of military equipment, through the decision to reduce petroleum output.
“The priority is to get gas prices low, and what we need to do is be very tough on Saudi Arabia,” he told anchor Neil Cavuto. “After all we have done for that country … for them to do this to the American people is outrageous, and we should say that if they don’t reverse their decision, we are going to stop sending them weapons.”
The Biden administration has garnered criticism for <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/keystone-pipeline-dead-killed-by-biden-thousands-of-jobs-lost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">nixing</a> expansions to the Keystone XL pipeline and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-administration-severely-cuts-back-on-oil-and-gas-leases" target="_blank" rel="noopener">slowing</a> federal oil leases to a crawl. When pressed by Cavuto on why regulators are discouraging domestic oil production, Khanna noted that energy producers have neglected to invest in refinery capacity. Cavuto retorted that incentives to build new refineries would be foolish given the administration’s preference for renewable energy.
Members of the Biden administration have indeed contended that high fuel costs should provoke a transition toward renewable energy rather than the prioritization of raising domestic output. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said during a <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/no-country-controls-the-wind-and-the-sun-janet-yellen-touts-hundreds-of-billions-in-climate-spending" target="_blank" rel="noopener">speech</a> last month that the Inflation Reduction Act, which was recently passed into law, contains reforms that will prevent American reliance on foreign oil.
“Over the past two years in particular, we’ve seen the direct consequences of our continued dependence on fossil fuels. Not only do we continue to contribute and subject ourselves to a rapidly warming climate,” Yellen remarked, “but we expose ourselves to the type of energy market volatility we’ve experienced in the wake of Russia’s brutal war on Ukraine. No country controls the wind and the sun. And countries that can harness those sources of energy will make their economies more resilient and secure.”

Senate Leaders Work To End Impasse On Russia Trade Legislation

‘I Blame The Saudis’: Democrat Congressman Responds To Gas Prices Hitting $6.50 In His District

Congressman Ro Khanna Says Saudi Arabia Is Largely To Blame For High Gas Prices

Biden Administration

OPEC

Saudi Arabia

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a> Democrats demanded answers from gas companies for still skyrocketing gas prices, accusing <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/all-the-ways-biden-has-botched-the-u-s-response-to-high-gas-prices/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oil and gas</a> producers and refiners of raising prices more than necessary in order to rake in profits.
&#8220;Here are the facts: Crude oil prices are DOWN. And yet…gas prices are up. That’s because greedy oil companies are ripping you off,&#8221; California Governor <a href="https://dailywire.com/news/newsom-calls-for-a-special-session-to-impose-even-more-taxes-on-oil-and-gas-despite-highest-prices-in-the-nation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gavin Newsom</a> tweeted on Thursday, saying that he planned to tax the oil companies more in response. &#8220;They are raking in record profits at your expense. I’m calling for a new tax on these corrupt oil companies to put money back in your pocket.&#8221;
California Department of Energy Chair David Hochschild demanded answers from the industry, tweeting, &#8220;Last week I asked the oil industry for answers about the recent gas price spike placing an unacceptable burden on Californians. Maintenance alone cannot explain a sudden $1.54 increase in what refineries charge for every gallon of gas.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Last week I asked the oil industry for answers about the recent gas price spike placing an unacceptable burden on Californians
Maintenance alone cannot explain a sudden $1.54 increase in what refineries charge for every gallon of gas
My full statement ➡️ <a href="https://t.co/Z5IXvKgySa">https://t.co/Z5IXvKgySa</a> <a href="https://t.co/jytPr7vXQj">pic.twitter.com/jytPr7vXQj</a>
&mdash; David Hochschild (@ChairHochschild) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChairHochschild/status/1577812333673402368?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 6, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Texas-based Valero Energy issued a response — with one day to spare — and laid out a litany of reasons that serving the California market was an uphill battle for any energy company.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
NEW: VALERO responds to California’s demand for answers recent gas price spike. 
“As demanded with one business day to respond…”
“California is the most challenging market to serve in the United States for several reasons.” <a href="https://t.co/r2T2UQleme">pic.twitter.com/r2T2UQleme</a>
&mdash; Ashley Zavala (@ZavalaA) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZavalaA/status/1578541331340673024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 8, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;For Valero, California is the most expensive operating environment in the country and a very hostile regulatory environment for refining,&#8221; Scott Folwarkow, Vice President of State Government Affairs wrote in the letter. &#8220;California policy makers have knowingly adopted policies with the expressed intent of eliminating the refinery sector. California requires refiners to pay very high carbon cap and trade fees and burdened gasoline with cost of the low carbon fuel standards. With the backdrop of these policies, not surprisingly, California has seen refineries completely close or shut down major units. When you shut down refinery operations, you limit the resilience of the supply chain.&#8221;
Folkwarkow went on to explain that California had mandated a special fuel blend that was not available in other parts of the country — meaning that it had to be specially formulated and that in times of shortage, additional supply could not be simply shipped in from elsewhere.
&#8220;From the perspective of a refiner and fuel supplier, California is the most challenging market to serve in the United States for several reasons,&#8221; he wrote, adding, &#8220;California has imposed some of the most aggressive, and thus expensive and limiting, environmental regulatory requirements in the world. California policies have made it difficult to increase refining capacity and have prevented supply projects to lower operating costs of refineries.&#8221;
Folwarkow concluded by warning the state that additional taxes and regulations — such as the tax proposed by Newsom — would very likely only serve to make the situation even worse.
&#8220;We believe the Commission experts understand that California cannot mandate a unique fuel that is not readily available outside of the West Coast and then burden or eliminate California refining capacity and expect to have robust fuel supplies,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;Adding further costs, in the form of new taxes or regulatory constraints, will only further strain the fuel market and adversely impact refiners and ultimately those costs will pass to California consumers.&#8221;

Gas Stations As California Fuel Prices Surge

California Democrats Demand Answers For High Gas Prices – They Won’t Like The Response

California Democrats Demand Answers For High Gas Prices – They Won't Like The Response

California

Gavin Newsom

California Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gavin-newsom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gavin Newsom</a> called for a special session Friday to impose another tax on <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/oil-and-gas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">oil and gas</a> companies.
In a tweet Friday afternoon, Newsom announced that he would call a special session of the California legislature to pass legislation enacting a windfall tax on oil and gas companies. The tax proposal would come even though California already has the highest gas tax in the nation, as well as the highest gas prices. It also comes as the state has moved to ban the sale of new gas cars.
&#8220;NEW: I&#8217;m calling for a Special Session to address the greed of oil companies,&#8221; Newsom tweeted. &#8220;Gas prices are too high. Time to enact a windfall profits tax directly on oil companies that are ripping you off at the pump.&#8221;
Newsom&#8217;s move would likely pile on the punishment for California drivers, who are already dealing with the highest gas prices in the country. The statewide average price for a gallon of regular gasoline currently sits at $6.36, according to <a href="https://gasprices.aaa.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AAA</a>. That is the highest price in the nation, and above $2.40 more than the national average of about $3.90 a gallon.
California also has the highest gas tax in the country. According to a 2021 report from the nonprofit <a href="https://taxfoundation.org/state-gas-tax-rates-2021/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tax Foundation</a>, California already imposes a combined 66.98 cents per gallon tax on gas. In June of this year, the state <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-set-for-scheduled-gas-tax-increase-at-end-of-month" target="_blank" rel="noopener">increased</a> its gas excise tax by three cents. In total, taxes and fees make up $1.18 of California&#8217;s sky high-gas prices, <a href="https://ktla.com/news/taxes-fees-make-up-1-18-per-gallon-of-gas-in-california/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KTLA</a> reported. California’s Air Resource Board also imposes strict regulations on chemicals like benzene, formaldehyde, and sulfur, and imports much of its gasoline from the Middle East, The Daily Wire reported.
Conservatives blasted the move on Twitter.
&#8220;Only an economically illiterate Democrat would think enacting yet another state tax on petroleum companies will bring about a decrease in gas prices LOL,&#8221; conservative activist and former California Congressional candidate <a href="https://twitter.com/DavidGiglioCA/status/1578506966950850560" target="_blank" rel="noopener">David Giglio</a> replied. &#8220;You couldn&#8217;t make up this level of stupid if you tried.&#8221;
&#8220;Gas prices in Florida are half the price in California,&#8221; wrote <a href="https://twitter.com/ChristinaPushaw/status/1578531639797248000" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Christina Pushaw</a>, rapid response director for Governor Ron DeSantis&#8217; campaign. &#8220;Why is it only California with $7 gas right now!&#8221;
&#8220;I just filled my tank for about half of what it costs in California,&#8221; talk radio host <a href="https://twitter.com/MarkDavis/status/1578743764834693126?s=20&amp;t=E1fTSyixnz3MmlNMYDBnNg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mark Davis</a> tweeted. &#8220;That oil company greed must be fiendishly selective toward the Golden State. Unless it’s something else making life hell in #Newsom’s #California.&#8221;
&#8220;Gas is .$80 cheaper in OR, $.90 in NV, and $1.80 in AZ than in CA,&#8221; the <a href="https://twitter.com/US_OGA/status/1578519266273284098?s=20&amp;t=0eHm-PbQlTK670gjZ-4uAQ" target="_blank" rel="noopener">US Oil &amp; Gas Association</a> wrote. “Might it be the $1.19 more in tax per gallon your charge than your neighbors because you can? That seems a bit greedy actually&#8230;&#8221;
Newsom&#8217;s latest tax proposal comes as the state is moving to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/california-regulators-approve-banning-new-gas-car-sales" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ban gas cars</a> totally by 2035. The Air Resources Board imposed new regulations that would restrict the number of new gas-powered cars allowed to be sold in the state. By 2026, 35% of new cars sold in the state must be zero emissions; that number increases to 68% by 2030, and by 2035, 100% of new cars must be emission-free.

Newsom Calls For A Special Session To Impose Even More Taxes On Oil And Gas, Despite Highest Prices In The Nation

Newsom Calls A Special Session To Impose More Taxes On Oil And Gas, Despite Highest Prices In The Nation

Cars

Gas Tax

A recent <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/10/07/rich-young-professionals-fleeing-california-and-new-york.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> is demonstrating the way young people view different states as potential places to live, especially when they are doing well financially.
The <a href="https://smartasset.com/data-studies/states-losing-and-gaining-the-most-rich-young-professionals-2022" target="_blank" rel="noopener">study</a> by Smart Asset looked into where people under 35 years of age with a minimum adjusted gross income of $100,000 are moving. The group looked at how many people have moved in and out of states between the years of 2019 and 2020.
In <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/california" target="_blank" rel="noopener">California</a>, the migration of these wealthy young working people had previously been steady. In 2018, there was a net outflow of around 400 such persons, while in 2019, the net inflow was about 20 wealthy young people. However, for the 2020 numbers, that all changed. The Golden State experienced a net outflow of 7,960 wealthy young people, which was the second largest net outflow in any state in America, as well as Washington, D.C.
Between 2019 and 2020, in California, 20,568 wealthy young people moved into the state and 28,528 people in the same group moved out.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/new-york" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York</a> was the state where the most young people are moving away, with a net outflow of 15,788. When considering proportional migration, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/washington-d.c." target="_blank" rel="noopener">Washington, D.C.</a> had the most wealthy young people leaving, with a net outflow number of nearly 2,100.
The survey noted that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/texas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Texas</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/florida" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida</a> are the top two spots where young people who are doing well financially are heading to live, pointing out that Texas and Florida do not have income taxes.
California has increasingly become a difficult place to live, as COVID lockdowns harmed businesses, young people, and school children. In major cities, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/crime" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crime</a> and <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/homelessness" target="_blank" rel="noopener">homelessness</a> have been rampant problems, creating living situations that are not amenable to young people or families.
While wealthy young people have been moving away in recent years, the amount of homeless people in the state has gone up by a minimum of 22,500 since 2019 — reaching 173,800, according to <a href="https://calmatters.org/newsletters/whatmatters/2022/10/california-homeless-population-covid/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CalMatters</a>.
The <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2022/10/05/california-gas-prices-hit-record-highs/8188775001/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">price</a> of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gas-prices" target="_blank" rel="noopener">gas</a> in the Golden State also hit record numbers across the state this week, with Los Angeles experiencing an average of $6.49 per gallon for regular gasoline, a number that has never been seen before. In other areas, the average gallon of gas was over $8.00.
“Gov. Newsom took direct action to bring Californians relief, transitioning to winter-blend fuel early and holding the oil companies accountable for surging gas prices despite low crude oil costs and record profits,” Newsom spokesman Alex Stack told USA Today in an email on Wednesday. &#8220;While this is welcome relief, we’re still focused on getting answers for this unprecedented price spike.”
Analysts recently said the prices might be dropping soon, but Democratic Governor of California Gavin <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gavin-newsom" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Newsom</a> has <a href="https://www.kcra.com/article/gov-newsom-considers-special-legislative-session-rising-gas-prices/41550049#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> he might bring state legislators back for a special session to react to the spike in prices of gas, but he points to oil companies as the issue.

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Study: California Sees Second Highest Rate Of Young Wealthy Professionals Leave State In 2020

California Sees Second Highest Rate Of Young Wealthy Professionals Leave State In 2020, Smart Asset Study Finds

Crime

Florida

Homelessness

New York

Texas

Back in March, shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, gasoline prices in the U.S. began to soar.
Make no mistake, though. Prices were already rising quickly. When President Joe Biden took office on Jan. 20, 2021, the average cost for a gallon of <a href="https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/hist/LeafHandler.ashx?n=PET&amp;s=EMM_EPMR_PTE_NUS_DPG&amp;f=W">regular gas</a> cost $2.38. By the time Putin invaded, it cost $3.53.
So Putin wasn&#8217;t to blame for that &#8212; even though Biden has long called skyrocketing costs at the pump &#8220;Putin&#8217;s price hike.&#8221;
By the end of March, a gallon cost $4.23. That&#8217;s when Biden decided to tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR), America&#8217;s massive reserve set aside for emergencies.
Congress created the SPR in 1975, not long after Americans suffered through gas shortages and long lines at the pump as a result of the 1973 embargo by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC). The law was designed “to reduce the impact of severe energy supply interruptions,&#8221; either by embargos or natural disasters, Forbes <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2022/09/07/the-strategic-petroleum-reserve-is-at-its-lowest-level-since-1984/?sh=34630c4b77c7">reported</a>.
Biden authorized the release of 125 million barrels of oil (the reserves can hold more than 700 million barrels). But the United States <a href="https://www.worldometers.info/oil/us-oil/#:~:text=The%20United%20States%20has%20proven,levels%20and%20excluding%20unproven%20reserves).">consumes</a> about 20 million barrels per day &#8212; so Biden&#8217;s release wouldn&#8217;t last long.
Prices kept going up &#8212; $4.23 per gallon by the end of March &#8212; then leveled off a bit, running just above $4 for about five weeks. Then it started all over again: $4.62 by the end of May and an even $5.00 in mid-June.
Then prices, as prices do, began to fall again, dropping to $4.33 by the end of July. Biden took a victory lap, releasing a White House <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/07/26/fact-sheet-department-of-energy-releases-new-notice-of-sale-as-gasoline-prices-continue-to-fall/">statement</a> saying the Treasury Department &#8220;estimates that Strategic Petroleum Reserve releases by President Biden and international partners reduced the price of gasoline by up to 40 cents per gallon.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_432253" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-432253" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-432253 size-full" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/2285F102-B378-4181-91B4-A9B4F0B0665D_1_201_a.jpeg" alt="Oil Heads For Longest Run Of Monthly Gains Since Early 2018 An oil pump jack at the Midway-Sunset Oil Field near Derby Acres, California, U.S., on Friday, April 29, 2022. Oil is poised to eke out a fifth monthly advance after another tumultuous period of trading that saw prices whipsawed by the fallout of Russia's war in Ukraine and the resurgence of Covid-19 in China. Photographer: Ian Tuttle/Bloomberg via Getty Images Bloomberg / Contributor" width="1024" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/2285F102-B378-4181-91B4-A9B4F0B0665D_1_201_a.jpeg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/2285F102-B378-4181-91B4-A9B4F0B0665D_1_201_a-300x169.jpeg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/09/2285F102-B378-4181-91B4-A9B4F0B0665D_1_201_a-768x432.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Ian Tuttle/Bloomberg/Contributor via Getty Images</div>
“I’ve been working to make sure that when the price of oil comes down, the price at the pump comes down as well and comes down in real time,” Biden said then, noting that pump prices had “fallen every day this summer for 38 days in a row.”
Economists, though, said the SPR release wasn&#8217;t the reason for falling prices. Prices had gotten so high that consumers stopped consuming. &#8220;But the main reason for the fall is the decline in oil prices,&#8221; CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/08/11/gas-prices-are-falling-heres-why-its-happening-and-whether-it-can-continue.html">reported</a> in August. &#8220;Crude is the single largest factor influencing gas prices, accounting for more than 50% of what we pay at the pump.&#8221;
After 99 days of falling prices, they started going up again. So on Tuesday, reporters asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about it all.
&#8220;You’ve said the president was responsible for gas prices coming down. Is the president responsible for gas prices going up?&#8221; a reporter asked.
&#8220;So, it’s a lot more nuanced than that,&#8221; Jean-Pierre said. &#8220;You know this. There have been global challenges that we have all have dealt with. When I say &#8216;all,&#8217; meaning other countries as well have dealt with since the pandemic. There’s been pandemic and there&#8217;s been Putin&#8217;s war. And Putin&#8217;s war has increased gas prices at the pump. We have seen that over the la- — past several months,&#8221; she said.
And there you have it. Biden will take the credit, but not the blame.
Prices are expected to continue rising &#8212; the nationwide average price of gasoline increased Tuesday for the 14th consecutive day, hitting $3.81 per gallon.
One reason: &#8220;Major petroleum refinery snags and policies disincentivizing more fossil fuel production or nationwide refinery capacity have contributed to the price uptick,&#8221; analysts told <a href="https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/americans-should-prepare-gas-prices-keep-rising-analysts-warn">Fox News</a>.
Fox reported that &#8220;U.S. refiners are churning out about 90% of their total operable capacity, according to the most recent data from the Energy Information Administration. That figure is down from the roughly 95% utilization rate recorded in June.&#8221;
Over the last couple of weeks, as prices began to rise again &#8212; one region has seen a 60-cent jump &#8212; Biden began to blame oil companies, even though he had taken credit for falling prices.
&#8220;Oil and gas companies are still making record profits, billions of dollars in profits,&#8221; Biden said at a meeting with the White House Competition Council in September.
<div id="attachment_446229" style="width: 4606px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-446229" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-446229 size-full" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-05-at-2.59.45-AM.png" alt="US President Joe Biden participates in a CNN Town Hall hosted by Don Lemon at Mount St. Joseph University in Cincinnati, Ohio, July 21, 2021." width="4596" height="2376" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-05-at-2.59.45-AM.png 4596w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-05-at-2.59.45-AM-300x155.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-05-at-2.59.45-AM-1024x529.png 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-05-at-2.59.45-AM-768x397.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-05-at-2.59.45-AM-1536x794.png 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2022/10/Screen-Shot-2022-10-05-at-2.59.45-AM-2048x1059.png 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 4596px) 100vw, 4596px" />SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images</div>
&#8220;My message is simple. To the companies running gas stations and setting those prices at the pump: Bring down prices you’re charging at the pump to reflect the price you’re paying for the product. Do it now.&#8221;
The Biden administration has gone so far as to tell U.S. refiners they should limit fuel exports, according to a letter Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm sent to seven big refiners <a href="https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Biden-Administration-Urges-Refiners-To-Curb-Fuel-Exports.html">obtained</a> by The Wall Street Journal.
&#8220;Given the historic level of U.S. refined product exports, I again urge you to focus in the near term on building inventories in the United States, rather than selling down current stocks and further increasing exports,&#8221; Granholm wrote in a letter to seven American refiners in August.
But refiners fired back. &#8220;Banning or limiting the export of refined products would likely decrease inventory levels, reduce domestic refining capacity, put upward pressure on consumer fuel prices, and alienate U.S. allies during a time of war,&#8221; the industry leaders wrote in response to Granholm.
Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, ripped Biden for demanding oil companies increase refining capacity while also saying it wants to end fossil fuel and go to electric vehicles (EVs).
&#8220;The White House is basically picking a winner,&#8221; De Haan told Fox. &#8220;It&#8217;s picking EVs and it&#8217;s picking a loser: fossil fuels. What oil company is going to invest billions of dollars in building a new refinery? In this climate, it would be foolish.&#8221;
&#8220;Talk about doublespeak. &#8216;We need to build more and we&#8217;re going to shut you down in 10 years.&#8217; That confusion is not going to build confidence in oil companies to say, &#8216;Hey, you know what, we&#8217;ll expand our refinery by 100-.&#8217; No, nobody&#8217;s going to do that,&#8221; he said.
But wait, there&#8217;s more. The SPR has now been drained from 640 million barrels to 450 million barrels &#8212; the <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/rrapier/2022/09/07/the-strategic-petroleum-reserve-is-at-its-lowest-level-since-1984/?sh=34630c4b77c7">lowest</a> since 1984.
Biden also stopped a lot of the progress of oil production that was being made in the U.S.
&#8220;Consider that in 2005, the U.S. imported 10.1 million barrels per day (BPD) of crude oil, of which 4.8 million BPD (~48%) came from OPEC. The SPR contained 685 million barrels. With the U.S. importing 10.1 million BPD of crude oil at that time, that was enough oil to cover 68 days of supply,&#8221; Forbes wrote.
&#8220;In 2021, the U.S. imported 6.1 million BPD, of which only 800,000 BPD came from OPEC. More importantly, a lot of that imported oil was refined and re-exported as finished products. Net imports of U.S. crude oil and finished products were actually -62,000 BPD (i.e., the U.S. was a net exporter).&#8221;
But U.S. imports are on the rise. &#8220;U.S. Gulf Coast crude imports rose last week to the highest since September 2021, U.S. Energy Information Administration data showed,&#8221; one <a href="https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/us-gulf-coast-crude-imports-rise-to-highest-since-sept-2021-eia/">report</a> said in September.
<div id="attachment_138045" style="width: 2570px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-138045" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-138045 size-full" src="https://www.dailywire.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Iran-1-scaled.jpg" alt="An oil tanker is seen off the port of Bandar Abbas, southern Iran, on July 2, 2012. Iran has come up with several methods to foil the European insurance embargo on ships loaded with its crude, a sanction which may harm its vital exports as much as the EU oil embargo itself." width="2560" height="1440" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/08/Iran-1-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/08/Iran-1-300x169.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/08/Iran-1-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/08/Iran-1-768x432.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/08/Iran-1-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2020/08/Iran-1-2048x1152.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px" />ATTA KENARE / AFP / Getty Images</div>
And in one of his first official acts in office, Biden killed the Keystone XL Pipeline, which was estimated after completion to transport 830,000 barrels of Alberta tar sands oil per day from Canada to refineries on the Gulf Coast of Texas.
“Killing 10,000 jobs and taking $2.2 billion in payroll out of workers’ pockets is not what Americans need or want right now,” Andy Black, president and CEO of the Association of Oil Pipelines, said on Jan. 20, 2021.
In the end, Biden deserves none of the credit &#8212; but all of the blame &#8212; for soaring prices at the pumps.
The views expressed in this piece are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.
Joseph Curl has covered politics for 35 years, including 12 years as White House correspondent for a national newspaper. He was also the a.m. editor of the Drudge Report for four years. Send tips to josephcurl@dailywire.com and follow him on Twitter @josephcurl.

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All The Ways Biden Has Botched The U.S. Response To High Gas Prices

All The Ways President Joe Biden Has Botched The U.S. Response To High Gas Prices

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