Further to the news about the latest poll numbers, there remains a striking association between the President’s approval rating and the price of gas. The source is an avowedly partisan academic at DePaul, but the indexation looks pretty fair to me. The implication, of course, is that the pork-laden energy bill, the ethanol mandate, the refusal to push through ANWR exploration and all the other myriad policy choices that have helped contribute to the current price of gas, have all damaged the GOP. No wonder their opponents are demanding reductions in the gas price while at the same time quietly backing policies that push it up. A little clarity on this issue could help political careers as well as the consumers who ultimately determine the fate of said careers.
