Forgive me if someone has brought up this concept before. I wouldn't be surprised, since it seems to me to be the most direct and easiest to understand way of linking the Republicans and their failed energy policies to high gas prices.
As the New York Times reports today, Dems are eager to exploit anger over gas prices. As well they should - there is no pocketbook issue more directly relevant to about 99.5% of the country than gas prices.
Democrats need a one-sentence slogan on gas prices:
"This is what you get with a Texas oil man in the White House."
If there is any one constituency that has benefitted the most from the Bush administration, it is the oil industry. (Although defense contractors are doing very well, thank you very much. And who's doing the best? Halliburton! It's both a oil company (oil services) and defense contractor (KBR). Talk about the sweet spot.).
Record profits for oil companies, including
$36 billion for Exxon last year.
While a large portion of the public probably vaguely associates oil and gas prices with the Republicans, tying gas prices to the policies of George W. Bush and the Republicans by noting their self-interest in high oil prices would be more effective. A message that says "these guys are acting out of their own self-interest" more powerfully suggests that gas prices won't go down until the Republicans are thrown out. It also reinforces the culture of corruption meme - the Republicans are using their power to line their own pockets.
And it's not just associating Bush and Republicans with oil. It's calling Bush a "Texas" oil man that further reinforces the corruption and greed aspects. Who do people think of when they think of Texas oil men? J.R. Ewing, I would bet is the lead answer - a "major league asshole" in his own right, and one of the epitomes of greed. Add that together with Bush's ranch in Texas and his false swagger, and you've got a very, very powerful image of the President (and by implication, the Republicans).
Then I would go through all the public disclosures available and find out which Republicans own Exxon, Halliburton, etc. to put together a great set of ads, district by district, equating Republicans to the oil industry. With Bush at the top as the oil industry's man in the White House, the anger at the gas pump will translate into seats in Congress.
Of course, that's just the beginning. Once the Democrats have a majority, they need to use it to take the steps to increase energy independence. How about that windfall profits tax talked about in the Senate? Use it to fund solar power, wind power, tidal power, ethanol, fuel cell, etc. research. Let Bush veto it and reinforce the oil man in the White House meme.