Samuel Case, FISM News
Gas prices have been heading in a downward trend for over 50 straight days. As of Friday morning, the national average sat at $4.11 a gallon, according to AAA.
The current price is $.69 less than one month ago when the average was $4.80 and $.90 less than June’s historic high when prices topped $5 a gallon.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre earlier this week touted the price drop as “the fastest decline in gas prices in over a decade,” without acknowledging that prices were dropping from their highest point ever.
While prices are dropping, Americans are still paying $1.72 more than when President Biden first took office in January 2021. The national average then was $2.39.
Karine Jean-Pierre shamelessly brags that gas prices are "down $0.86/gal from their June peak."
Regular gas remains up $1.77/gal and diesel up $2.60/gal since Biden took office. pic.twitter.com/h7g1nd3TNX
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) August 3, 2022
Jean-Pierre said American families with two cars are “saving over $90 on gas.” However, taking the national average when Biden took office into consideration, the Republican National Committee estimates that by Jean-Pierre’s own logic “families with two cars are spending over $180 more per month than when he took office.”
A July survey from AAA found that “almost two-thirds [64%] of U.S. adults have changed their driving habits or lifestyle since March,” due to the price of gas, with “23% making ‘major changes.’”
Of the nearly two-thirds of Americans who said they are making changes, 88% said they are now driving less, while 74% said they are combining errands to use less gas.
President Joe Biden has been releasing almost one million barrels per day since March from The Strategic Petroleum Reserve in a desperate attempt to bring gas prices down. The move has brought the SPR to its lowest levels since 1985. Biden said he would release oil for six months, indicating the move is done with the upcoming November midterms in mind.
With levels reaching their lowest point in nearly 40 years, Biden has received criticism from congressional Republicans for selling reserve oil to adversarial nations like China.
“It’s inexplicable that Biden would allow oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to be exported to China,” Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) said last month.