It’s no secret that gas prices are a national issue, and Biden made it clear on his campaign trail that he would come into office with promises to tackle the planet’s climate crisis by lowing the U.S.’s dependency on fossil fuels. However, when Biden moved into the White House on January 20, 2021, a gallon of regular gasoline cost an average of $2.37, according to gasbuddy.com.
Today it’s nearly $4.20, the American Automobile Association (AAA) reported Monday. “To be fair, gas prices moderated modestly toward the end of April, but remain above $4.00 a gallon,” Douglas Holtz-Eakin, president of the American Action Forum, said in a statement last week. “Since the start of the Biden Administration, gas prices are up over 80 percent.” While the war with Russia has certainly had an impact, part of the issue also appears to be Biden’s inability to commit to one side or another of either embracing it’s production or not.
Addressing Biden directly, Holtz-Eakin said:
“This record of futility drives home the basic economics of the situation: Either admit you want gas (and other carbon-based fuel) prices higher and sell it politically on the merits or take some real, permanent action on domestic production that stands a chance of increasing supply enough to reduce gas prices.”
Local efforts to solve the issue that Biden’s administration seems to be responsible for having so far been shot down. Governor Youngkin’s plan to hold a “gas holiday”, which would have waived the Old Dominion’s gas tax for three months, was shot down by Virginia Democrats at their “veto session”. Youngkin expressed his disappointment, claiming that Virginia Democrates were too focused their long term projects, and not enough on the Virginians whose money it really is. (RELATED: Youngkin’s Gas Holiday Shot Down by Virginia Dems)
“IT’S VIRGINIA’S MONEY, VIRGINIANS’ MONEY, NOT THE GOVERNMENT’S MONEY. AND WE HAVE A BILLION DOLLARS IN OUR COMMONWEALTH TRANSPORTATION FUND MORE THAN WE THOUGHT. THIS MONEY BELONGS TO VIRGINIANS AND IT’S A CHANCE FOR US TO GIVE VIRGINIANS A BREAK WHEN THEY NEED IT MOST.”
The bill was widely supported by local Virginians, with several of them showing up at the state capitol in Richmond to show their support.
“THIS IS SOMETHING THAT IS COMMON SENSE,” ONE PERSON TOLD THE HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE. “WHY WOULD YOU VOTE AGAINST THIS? WHY WOULD YOU VOTE TO TAKE MONEY OUT OF MY FAMILY’S MOUTH?”
So far, there does not seem to be any other kind of local Virginia relief plan in place, aside from a counter proposal Virginia State House Democrats proposed for a $50 Tax rebate to car owners, and is limited up to $100 per household. According to gasolinemiseryindex.com, Americans are spending an average of $667 more per year on gasoline today since the president entered office in January. (RELATED: Virginia State House Democrats Propose $50 Tax Rebate to Car Owners)