Christian Smith
(NewsNation) – An influential conservative political advocacy group is teaming up with gas stations across the country to lower prices to what they were before Joe Biden took office, though some experts say its criticism of the current president is misleading.
Americans for Prosperity (AFP) kicked off the weeklong event in Pittsburgh on Monday, temporarily offering gasoline for $2.38 a gallon — the National average when Biden took office. That’s about $1.20 less than the current average $3.60 a gallon.
During the next week, 25 gas stations will offer “pre-Bidenomics” pricing on a first-come, first-served basis for between 150 and 200 cars. Several of these stations are in key states such as Florida, North Carolina and Wisconsin.
The reversal events are intended to show people what prices could be with policies that “unlock America’s energy abundance,” AFP said in a statement. Press release.
“Biden’s war on American energy has had disastrous results and Americans are suffering from high summer gas prices,” said Akash Chougule, AFP vice president of government affairs.
While it’s true that prices at the pump are 50% higher now than when Biden took office, the president’s energy policies aren’t the main reason, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.
“The global economy is what dictates the [oil] prices, and a president has a very limited role, regardless of political party, in this equation,” said De Haan.
By June 2022, the national average had risen to more than $5 per gallon, but this was driven by several factors, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the sharp rise in consumer demand following the pandemic.
It is also normal for gas prices to rise at this time of year due to the higher price summer blend fuelseasonal maintenance at refineries and more drivers on the roads, De Haan said.
This year, AAA estimates that nearly 44 million people will travel at least 50 miles over Memorial Day weekend, the second-highest level on record. Of these, more than 38 million are expected to travel by car, an increase of 4% compared to last year.
The unofficial start of summer comes as Americans continue to feel the impact of inflation, which continues to rise faster than the Federal Reserve’s 2% target rate.
Former President Donald Trump has criticized Biden’s energy policies, which focused on green projects and electric vehicles, and says he plans to “drill, baby, drill.”
But even if Trump were to become president again, his changes would only appear at the gas pump for a while, De Haan noted, emphasizing that it could take many years, if not decades, for presidential policy to have a significant impact.
Likewise, if gas prices fall below $3 per gallon by the end of the year, which De Haan says they could, Biden doesn’t deserve credit for the same reason he shouldn’t take most of the blame.
During his term, Biden restrictions imposed in oil and gas companies as part of their climate agenda. At the same time, the US became the world’s largest exporter of natural gasand by 2023, domestic crude oil production broke a record.
