Why am I not surprised

[db44]

Oh, that's right, because it's what I've been saying for a while now.

Anyone see that headline on AOL last week about how Bush's numbers often reflect the price of gas? :o

[Venisenvy]

And how exactly does the President have the power to affect gas prices? I dont doubt it affects his ratings since most people see prices at the pump as a signal the economy is doing well. And they see themselves as having more money now. It does not mean that Bush has anything to do with the gas prices.(Not sure if thats what you were alluding to)

[lions1mew]

Well let's see if we can piece this together ...

Gas prices are commodity trading-driven, if I worded that correctly. People think they are going up and bid or buy at a higher rate, thinking they will make a profit. The only people who can do that are very rich.

So the ultra-rich are letting gas prices fall. Wonder why?

[db44]

Hmm... Made his living off Haliburton and oil companies? Allows his friends to raise prices until election year, then deflate them to almost regular. It's good to have friends.

And I would argue about this being a signal to the population... As a society, we are pathetically short-minded. Look at Brad, and how quickly he seems to forget things, although in his case I'm pretty sure that's by choice. What is the one thing that changes value on seemingly a daily basis now, and that thing is a key to people's lives? It may not be a signal per se, but people's lives are better when they are paying $10 less to fill up their vehicles.

I was refering to it the other way though, although his control in the whole thing is the reason he's seeing rebounds in his numbers: Prices go down, his numbers go up... And to fit this in to what I was saying all this time, let's see if we here candidates from the GOP say, "gas is back down, the economy is good."

[DoubleEdgeSword]

It's all about perception. Talking to a bunch of people at work last night... the general consensus seemed to be "lower gas prices = Bush doing a good job." Nevermind there is very little logic in that belief, but there it is...