Three months ago, the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) panned a tweet that used a misleading graph to show gas prices falling 2 cents per gallon. President Biden credited it with this misleading graph. Now, gas prices are continuing to rise during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Twitter users criticised the tweet in December for its misleading Y-axis. It had no start date, and showed gas prices only falling, disregarding the spike during Biden’s presidency.
“Thanks, President Biden,” posted the DCCC’s official account along with a graph without a start date showing that gas prices fell by two cents between Nov. 22 and Nov. 29.
The DCCC post came after Biden opened the U.S. Strategic Petroleum Reserve — government-stockpiled fuel reserved for wartime and national emergencies — to offset the then-spiking cost of gas.
The chart was so misleading, even The Washington Post ridiculed it as “the worst defense of Biden’s administration yet.”
Today’s high gas prices have thrown into doubt the White House narrative. Ron Klain, White House chief of staff, and other members from the Biden administration amplified the tweet at that time.
Republicans have long advocated for U.S. energy independence, and Russia’s invasion in Ukraine only added to those demands.
Many members of the European Parliament have introduced legislation that targets Russia’s main market and Achilles heel: The energy sector.
August Pfluger (Republican from Texas) introduced the Midland Over Moscow Act, which was supported by the Republican Study Committee. It would require Biden create a plan for enhancing U.S. energy security and pushing back against Russia. The plan would also require Biden to reapply sanctions to the Russian Nord Stream II pipe, make it easier to export liquid natural gases to American companies, and increase U.S. energy security.
Pfluger said that if President Biden wants to buy American products, he should begin with oil & Gas from the Permian basin. “The U.S. should not rely on its enemies for energy. This is a mistake that her allies and the U.S. should not do.”
Overnight, gas prices soared across the U.S. with the average national price of gasoline rising to $3.728 from $3.656 a day earlier — a 2% rise.
Additionally, today’s average gas price is over 30c more than the February average of $3.413.
As the conflict in Ukraine continues, and U.S. oil companies cut ties to Russia, it is likely that gas prices will continue to rise.
