Gas prices – voters' No. 1 concern
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/POLITICS/08/07/preston.energy/art.cash.credit.gi.jpg caption="Voters are focused on the continuing pain at the pump."]
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) - The high price of gasoline is voters' top economic concern, according to a poll released Friday.
A CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll found that 35% said price of gasoline was their highest concern. That was followed by availability of good jobs (28%), high taxes (18%) and mortgages or home values (18%).
The poll was taken on Sept. 5-7 and surveyed 1,022 adults. It has a margin of error of three percentage points.
While energy concerns led the list, the percentage of respondents who said that high gas prices were causing them "financial hardship" fell to 63% from 75% in July.
Indeed, gas was selling at $3.67 on Friday – more than 80 cents higher than it was a year ago – but 40 cents below its high point in July.
Commodity investors have been worried that the high price of gasoline and other petroleum-derived fuels have been cutting into demand.
Volatile gas prices ticked upward Friday as Hurricane Ike threatened the north Texas coast
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And McCain wants to solve the gas price issue by drilling??? DRILLING..
Drilling won't make gasoline for consumer use for at least ten years after the drilling begins. That means, that if he becomes President, the global market for oil will not be affected by our new drilling until 2019. So all you morons out there who do not understand economics (much like McCain said he didn't), global markets, and the fact that oil is a commodity, need to take a second look.
DRILLING WON'T DO ANYTHING FOR GAS PRICES.
1. Inflate your tires. 1.2 billion barrels of oil was lost last year due to uninflated tires.
2. Get your car maintenance, you would be surprised at the impact dirty oil filters, tarnished spark plugs, and weak ignition systems can have on gas mileage.
3. Drive less, drive smarter.
4. Easy on the gas, soft on the brake.
5. Invest in fuel efficient technology and alternative fuels
6. Invest in electric cars.
Do you know McCain's plan DOES NOT have any plans to increase funding for alternative energy and renewable energy. NOTHING. His plan is mainly about off-shore drilling that will NOT have a signifcant impact on America's oil prices.
WAKE UP PEOPLE. Wake up.
"Commodity investors have been worried that the high price of gasoline and other petroleum-derived fuels have been cutting into demand."
Gee, do ya think so?
Commodity "investors" and I use the phrase investor very loosely, are the reason that we have high gas prices.
They are the ones who determine the "price" of a barrel of oil not the people who sell or buy it. So don't worry too much that the Arabs are getting all of your money or it's the CEO of that oil company, it's that little weird guy who buys and sells crude oil commodities that took the money out of your pocket.
Gas prices today are the only reason every politician has gone from "no offshore oil drilling" to "drill, drill, drill" Now we can validate destroying our wildlife habitat (to save a few bucks.)
I'm glad I can ride my bike to work.
Economy/gas prices/winning the right war on terror–that's why I'm voting Obama/Biden '08.
Yes we can!
McCain wants to drill here, now, to lessens our dependence on OPEC oil while we develop alternate sources of energy. T. Boone Pickens even said he likes McCain's approach (even though he is not backing either candidate).
Obama doesn't want to drill more. He wants to keep the status quo while we work on alternative energy plans. Can we afford esclalating energy prices while we wait for these developments (which he estimates will take 10 years)?
That's not change, that's more of the same. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that increasing the supply will lower prices.
Palin wants to go to war with russia and this iditot did not nothing about anything the more interview the more this idiot will be exposed.
Fourth grade economics.... Supply and Demand...
To lower prices you have to have more supply... pure and simple...
Don't want to drill... don't complain about the prices
If this is true, why is anyone at all supporting McCain?????
WRONG ANSWER!!! It's the ECONOMY and LEADERSHIP!!
Don't get me wrong... gas prices are VERY important... Big Oil has economically raped the American Public for long enough!!
And DRILL, DRILL, DRILL.... DRILL, BABY, DRILL isn't even going to come close to help solving the problem (but it will get lots government workers involved with Big Oil laid!!)
AS FOR THE POLLS... THEY ARE ABOUT EVEN!!! RIGHT WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE THE CONVENTIONS STARTED. ALL YOU REPUBLICANS FOAMING THAT THE MOUTH THAT McCAIN IS MOVING UP IN THE POLLS MUST HAVE SHORT-TERM MEMORY LOSS, BECAUSE THINGS ARE RIGHT BACK WHERE THEY WERE PRE-CONVENTION. DUH!!
WAKE UP, AMERICA!!! VOTE SMART... NOT SENILE!!!!
Offshore Drilling.....Gee, Great Idea MCLAME. So, when the hurricanes hit we have to endure years of gas prices going through the roof!!! IDIOT.
Instead, how about 10 years we are off oil completely. Sure, Bobby Joe can have the 1980 Trans Am, but the rest of us can have alternative cars and trucks. Obama has the plan, McPalin has nothing but drill baby drill.
The sheep are out in the pasture.....
I cant afford Gas because Bush ate my wallet. Now,McCain and Palin want a piece of me too. Maybe they will draft me to fight their endless wars-
WWIII =Attack Russia,Iran,Pakistan,Afghanistan,Iraq
Our military is already streched-where will they find the soldiers and funds to fight these new wars?hmmmm....draft?taxation?China loans?
If you are male in this country that is part of the selective service-you had better vote for your future.
Obama 08
Well folks, found this site and had to share. Seems that both sides were caught with their pants on fire, although the Republican side is a little hotter as far as lies go.
politifact.com/truth-o-meter/rulings/pants-fire
GOP machine is doing EVERYTHING it can to try and lower the cost of gas before the election. Anything to get a republican elected.
GOP Platform 2008:
1) Old
2) Gas Tax Holiday
3) Experience optional
4) 4000 year old Dinosaurs
5) Rape, incest...."LIFE HAPPENS"
6) Oh and uh..."Change"
YES IT.......IS...........THE.........ECONOMY! When we are losing value on our homes!
We are losing jobs........460 THOUSAND and counting!
We are STILL PAYING........$1.38 BILLION........a .......DAY.......in Iraq (but the surge worked)!
HARD WORKING AMERICANS ARE LOSING THEIR HOMES........BUT THE BUSH/CHENEY/MCCAIN PEOPLE ARE GIVING ..........FREDDIE & FANNIE CEO'S ..........MILLIONS......IN BONUSES ............EVEN THOUGH THEY........FAILED!
HARD WORKING AMERICANS ARE GOING BANKRUPT DUE TO MEDICAL BILLS..........WHILE THE BUSH/CHENEY/MCCAIN ..........GIVE ..........OVER $13 MILLION.......DOLLARS...........TO BIG OIL........IN TAX BREAKS!
SO..........YOU PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT MCCAIN/PALIN............GO AHEAD AND VOTE FOR THE GOP-ELITIST! DON'T COMPLAIN WHEN THEY DRAFT YOUR CHILDREN..............AND.........................
BOMB.........BOMB............BOMB...........IRAN!
If I hear one more person blame the price of gas on a president I'm going to expectorate.
There is a WORLD price for oil and that price is subject to supply/demand laws. Period.
How the president can impact home values is beyond any rational school of thought.
How normal is people making $50K buying $500K homes? They can blame themselves for foreclosure. Predatory lending is a myth!!!
And 5,000,000 new green jobs to solve unemployment and create non-carbon energy self-sufficiency? If you swallow that you could swallow a piano.
Truth is, the power of the president (and congress) is hugely over-rated. The only power they have is the power to tax the heck out of you and then give back less than what you put in.
Obama's energy plan is more consistent with T. Boone Picken's proposal. McCain misses the point with Big Oil.
These are the things Americans are concerned with not lipstick on a pig!!!! Please CNN, make the candidates address the issues-BOTH of them not just Obama. McCain has yet to provide any substance!!!
Who proposed a crack down on oil speculators?
Who wants to impose windfalls taxes?
Who promotes more oil efficiency?
OBAMA!
Talk about lowering the prices, how about someone who has a plan, as opposed to McCan't, whose only idea is SPENDING money to create offshore oil rigs that won't be able to support a single barrel for 2-3 years from their date of CONSTRUCTION
ONE NATION
So where is the report that an independent study came out 2 days ago that blamed SPECULATORS for the biggest factor in the rise in price. Just this year speculators threw over $80 billion dollars into the gas and oil markets and have recently taken out $35 billion dollars causing the prices to fall back some.
So the Bush administration has basically been lying to the American people once again if this independent report is true.
There's so much oil off of our coasts it's rediculous. But Obama wants to do nothing while even CUBA (!!) drills off the coast of Florida and taps these resources! Is that good judgment?!?
We're paying nearly $4/gallon, and Obama just wants to give away huge oil resources to other countries who have the intelligance to drill...
If he gets elected, get ready for the second term of Jimmy Carter (anybody else remember how well those economic policies were?).
The Democrats just need to hit the republicans hard on the issues. They need to go on the offensive and hit them sharp, hard, and relentless until election day. They must be positive enough to focus on the issues and negative enough to tear the republican campaign down.They must be quittter, sharper, and tougher on their response on attacks from republicans.
Republican voting for Obama/Biden 08
As long as supplies are tight, gas (oil and Diesel) prices will be high. Since Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have conspired to prevent domestic oil production, and the construction of new oil refineries, you can anticipate things getting worse, not better as we move forward, particularly if Obama is elected. Yes, they talk about windmills, but only about 1.6% of our electricity is generated with oil, so there isn't much to be gained by that move. Electric cars? Is the government going to buy you one or do you have to come up with the $30,000 yourself? How about CNG (T Boone Pickens)? Is the government going to pay to convert your car? Do you recall how natural gas prices spiked when the utilities turned from coal to gas a few years back? Get out your wallets and enjoy the walk. Obama and the Democrats will have us all living in poverty before you know it.
No wonder Obama is slipping down the slope to a big loss in November. Please read all the comments piled into these CNN bloggs and form your own opinion as to the mentality of Obama supporters. Instead of any intelligent debate we get examples such as:
"Sorry, we tried to DRILL on McIdiot & McLiar.
Nothing came out from these dumb heads.
Alaska & Arizona. – A dumbs- Dummies for GAS. Full of GAS.
(you know what I mean)"
Yup folks, thats your typical Obamite!
To my friend the Nightingale: We need to (NOT) allow more drilling because it (won't) help reduce the price of gas (now or anytime in the near future). We also need to explore and fully fund alternative energy sources for our great country.
God will provide we just need to discover. We need to knock on the door and he will open it for us.
I don't trust (McCain) with our country. He is risky and it would be a roll of the dice with him in charge. (All he wants to do is wage war!)
Would you take your life savings and go to Vegas? I don't think so. Let's stick with (Obama) who will protect our great nation and our values. (And will also bring the much needed change TO Washington that McCain and Bush have been such an intricate part of the past 8 years!!)
ya right! lets drill.........
Republicans at best!!!