I hope I don't have to tell the intellectuals and chess players on this site what's coming prior to November but I think it's absolutely obvious. We even saw the primer to it in the 2006 elections. I'm curious just how accurate my "Spidey-sense" is here.
There's this little demon in my brain. As I daily drive my longer than necessary commute into work in my old efficient Saturn station wagon, amid the giant SUV's and oversized pickup trucks that make it difficult to see ahead, I peer at the signs on the gas stations that seem to change upward each day. That little demon smiles as I imagine the amount of money they're paying every time they have to fill up and that another year or so of these high prices will mean a completely different field of vehicles on the road with many of these monsters up on blocks or sitting on street corners with under-priced for sale signs in their windows.
Well, the news is that these prices will not stay through this year. I am certain that they are being kept much higher than necessary to make up for the drop in profits that will occur as the Republicans "save the country" right before November. This same thing happened in 2006 although it seemed like just a dry run. The high prices then were still bearable and the drop was not large enough to help swing the election with all the anti-Republican hatred out there.
Well it's coming. I'd bet big money on that and I think Obama needs to show his prophetic side right now and let people know about the impending manipulation to minimize the political blow. He doesn't have to state categorically it will happen. (the powers that be could always cancel the drop to embarrass him.) All he should do is put the notion out there by referencing the past and saying that part of the system he's fighting to change is manipulation of the economy for political power and introduce or co-sponsor legislation aimed at price gouging particularly in time of war. That way, if the prices do come down as I'm certain they will, he can claim his pressure helped to make it happen.
He could also couple the other possibilities that are likely prior to November such as military action with Iran or the sudden capture of Osama Bin Laden. It's a fine line to walk. He'd have to ensure he doesn't sound like a conspiracy theorist but instead just talk about the perception of many Americans that the administration is so desperate and untrustworthy that they'd actually consider such vile actions. A speech on fear and uncertainty and its use to mold the voters would be a wonderful topic. Scott McClelland's new book would make for some great talking points.