On Sunday’s This Week, the mostly-liberal “Powerhouse Roundtable” couldn’t handle the fact that the results of an ABC/IPSOS poll showed over sixty percent of Americans disapprove of President Biden’s handling of gas prices.
“Our new poll, interesting numbers. First of all, it showed overwhelming support for the ban on Russian oil, 77 percent support it, even if it means the poll question even if it means higher gas prices here at home,” fill-in host Jon Karl reported while breaking down the poll’s findings.
“But take a look at this other question we asked, which is, Biden’s handling of gas prices, do you approve? 70 percent disapprove, so, in other words, ban Russian oil even if it means higher gas prices, but we’re going to blame Biden.” Karl couldn’t understand how the public could simultaneously support banning Russian oil knowing it will lead to higher prices at the pump, while also disapproving of Biden’s failure to take any measures to lower prices.
Karl looked at Heidi Heitkamp, former Democratic North Dakota senator and ABC News contributor while he was lamenting the results. Heitkamp responded cynically that “you always blame the party in power.”
Continuing her whining over Americans blaming Biden for high gas prices, Heitkamp thought the Biden administration “wasn’t aggressive enough” in discrediting the potential effectiveness of the Keystone XL Pipeline: “One of the first things Donald Trump did was give the permit and in four years the pipeline didn’t get built? We don’t know why. Because it wasn’t economical to build that pipeline in those price points.”
She then proceeded to blame former President Trump for inflation, claiming “it was the Trump administration that overspent and drove up inflation so if inflation in prices and housing and in gas is because of deficit spending that’s Trump’s fault.”
Karl then showed a chart of how much gas prices have soared over the past month: “but look at this chart on gas prices just since February. If you look — it is a shocking increase.” Heitkamp interrupted Karl mid-sentence to claim gas prices have been “artificially low” and the prices consumers are paying now aren’t the highest price Americans have had to pay:
George Herbert Walker Bush, under the George Bush administration, had gasoline prices adjusted to inflation of over $5. We are shocked, because we have become accustomed to using $2 gasoline. That’s what is the problem.
George Will (the only Republican on the panel) finally took the stage to speak later. Will lambasted the Democratic-controlled Congress for passing another trillion-dollar spending bill the same week as the inflation report came out: “when you’re in the hole quit digging, it’s the law of holes. 7.9 percent inflation In the week that is announced Congress passes another 1.5 trillion tranche of spending.”
Sponsorships made this segment possible, featuring wealthy media personalities mocking Americans who struggle to pay for gas. Tide. They are linked.
To read the relevant transcript click “expand”:
ABC’s This Week
3/13/2022
Eastern at 9:42:43JONKARL: Interesting numbers in our new poll. The poll showed that 77% of respondents supported the Russian oil embargo. Take a second look at the other question, Biden’s handling gas prices. Do you agree? So, 70% of those surveyed disapprove. In other words, banning Russian oil will result in higher gas prices. But we are going to blame Biden.
HEIDI HEITKAMP – You blame always the party in power. You know what? The administration was not aggressive enough, in my view, in pressing back against the red herrings. Red herrings such as it’s because Keystone XL wasn’t built. I reminded them that Donald Trump gave the permit, and the pipeline never got built. Were you surprised? It was not economically feasible to build the pipeline at those prices. They claim that inflation is the reason. This is runaway inflation. Inflation: Who caused it? The CBO numbers were revealed this week. Trump was responsible for inflation. Trump has been too generous and have not explained why.
KARL Now obviously…
HEITKAMP : That argues my point doesn’t that?
KARL: However, take a look at the chart of gas prices since February. You will see a dramatic increase in gas prices that doesn’t correlate.
HEITKAMP George Herbert Walker Bush was the George Bush Administration and we actually had gasoline prices that were adjusted for inflation to over $5. We are shocked, because we have become accustomed to using $2 gasoline. That’s what is the problem.
(…)
GEORGE WILL says: When you are in a hole, stop digging. It’s the law. Inflation at 7.9% Congress passes another 1.5 trillion spending tranche in the same week. The government announced it during the fiscal year’s first five month. Inflation lowered Americans’ real wages in 9 out of 12 months. Now, the federal deficit is $3 billion. Our debt service costs $1.2million per minute. If you’re interested in doing the math, it’s $20,000/second.
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