President Joe Biden has seen his popularity plummet amid rising gas prices many critics attribute to his administration’s domestic energy policies.
As next year’s midterm elections approach, many Democrats are apparently concerned about the negative impact the president’s agenda could have on their races.
“Continue to ring the alarm bells”
For her part, U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) made it clear that she does not want to be associated with increased costs at the pump.
In a recent interview, she asserted that the “buck stops” with Biden when it comes to bringing energy prices back down, adding: “I’m proud to be among those legislators on Capitol Hill that continue to ring the alarm bells about how serious this is.”
Spanberger seemed to go out of her way to distinguish her response to the issue from the tone-deaf talking points coming from the White House.
She has urged the administration to tap into strategic oil reserves, which Biden recently announced that he would do. Of course, critics of that move say it is only a temporary fix and will not solve an underlying supply issue poised to keep consumer costs unnecessarily high.
The Biden administration has also sparked criticism over the perception that it is indifferent to the plight of ordinary Americans confronted by the highest gas prices in at least seven years. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm acknowledged this week that she does not know how many barrels of oil Americans consume each day.
“An important policy Band-Aid”
For his part, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) maintained that the release of 50 million barrels from the nation’s strategic reserve will do little to bring down prices in the long term.
Instead, he called on the White House to reverse its own policies meant to constrict domestic energy supply.
“Today’s release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve is an important policy Band-Aid for rising gas prices but does not solve for the self-inflicted wound that shortsighted energy policy is having on our nation,” Manchin declared.
Moderate Democrats like Spanberger are justifiably concerned after recent GOP victories in her own state and polling that shows a majority of voters blame Biden for current economic woes.
While she and Manchin might often be at odds with their party’s progressive agenda, it increasingly appears that they are more closely aligned to the sentiments of the average voter.
The post Moderate Democrats break with Biden over energy policy amid rising gas prices first appeared on Conservative Institute.
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