The average American voter thinks that one of the President’s top jobs is to keep gas prices low. Republicans have owned this issue for decades, by supporting increased oil production. ‘Drill, baby, drill’ means lower prices at the pump, and voters understand that. This is a major reason why the average voter gives Republicans an edge on the Economy.
Many Democrats, fearing this political advantage, try to argue that Democrats also support oil production. All the major MSNBC hosts were recently crowing about how US oil production is at a record high under Biden. But there are two problems with this Democratic approach.
First, it pisses off people like me who care about the climate crisis. If the environment is a voter’s top issue—and both parties support accelerating mass extinctions—, then why vote Democratic?
Second, Economics 101 explains that there are actually two different ways of lowering prices. Republicans have long been ‘supply-siders’, meaning that they support policies to lower prices by increasing supply. However, the other, equally effective way to lower prices is by reducing demand.
Despite this fact, I never hear Democrats use this argument. And, it is a game changer. Take the most selfish, rolling-coal, damn-the-polar=bears a$$#ole you can think of and tell him this.
- Every time a liberal buys an electric vehicle, there’s more gasoline left over for you. So gas prices drop.
- Every time a windmill goes up, there’s more gasoline left over for you. So gas prices drop.
- Every time a solar panel is installed, there’s more gasoline left over for you. So gas prices drop.
- Every time a home is insulated or heat pump installed, there’s more gasoline left over for you. So gas prices drop.
- Every time a liberal governor raises fuel efficiency standards, there’s more gasoline left over for you. So gas prices drop.
So, if all you care about is how much you pay at the pump, then you should support all of those policies, even if you won’t use any of them. Because they will all save you money, a$$#ole.
Whenever Tr*mp rails against windmills, he’s costing his supporters money at the pump. Whenever a conservative governor fights solar, he’s costing his supporters money at the pump. Every time a fossil fuel state Senator votes against EVs, he’s costing his supporters money at the pump.
Why don’t Democrats point out this obvious economic law of supply and demand to kill one of Republicans favorite talking points? I have no idea.
Why have Republicans staked so much on this patently, extremely weak economic argument that actually works against their supporters? Well, that’s obvious. Lowering prices by increasing supply increases fossil fuel profits. Lowering prices by decreasing demand decreases fossil fuel profits. Standard GOP MO applies: lie to your constituents to enrich your rich donors. And every corrupt fossil fuel despot in the world, from Putin to Bone-saw etc. benefits from delaying the transition to green energy, which explains why Tr*mp pushes this line.
I know many of you are too busy worrying that AI might be used to make fun of people, that aliens are real, about Swiftie conspiracies, Tik-Tok, or dishonestly making fun of Teslas to make yourselves feel superior to Elon Musk who’s company has sold 5 million vehicles for a cleaner planet while you might not do anything to help fight carbon pollution. But we’re actually in an existential crisis for life on earth, and there is no single more important policy needed now than to reduce fossil fuel demand. So, let’s all try to do a little better, shall we?