Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
By Anjeanette Damon (contact) 
Published Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012 | 2 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2012 | 9:06 a.m.
Sun coverage
RENO--The cheap gas offered by the conservative political group Americans for Prosperity in Reno on Tuesday was a political event designed to blame President Barack Obama’s energy policies for driving up the cost of petrol.
But many of the scores of people who lined up around the block to fill up their tanks at $1.84 a gallon didn’t come for politics. They didn’t blame Obama for the gas prices. They just needed cheap gas.
One woman pulled up with a car full of three children, eager to save the 30 bucks on gas — money that would go toward school clothes for her kids. She said her family lives on $1,700 a month.
“This isn’t Obama’s fault. It’s everyone’s fault,” said Kaylen Hartshorn, of Reno. “You can’t elect one man and expect him to solve a million people’s problems. Everybody needs to do their part, help their neighbors.”
But Hartshorn stopped short of saying she would back Obama in November. She’s still trying to make up her mind and is drawn by Republican Mitt Romney’s promise that he can turn around the economy.
Indeed, the cheap gas event shined a bright light on the need generated by the economic recession.
One man literally had to push his truck the final 50 feet after running out of gas waiting in line. Another woman jumped with glee as she left the cashier’s window holding up four dollars in change from filling up her tank.
“I actually got change!” she shouted.
At $1.84 a gallon, which was briefly the national average when Obama took office after plummeting from a peak of $4.11 in July 2008, the customers at the Rainbow Mart on Tuesday were saving about $2 a gallon. Americans for Prosperity is holding a similar event in Las Vegas from 7:30-9 a.m. Thursday at the Speedee Mart on West Desert Inn Road.
For the organizers of the event, the cheap gas offering wasn’t a handout for those in need.
“It’s citizen education,” said Nick Vander Poel, of Americans for Prosperity. “This is issue awareness. We’re educating them on the issues.”
As people filled up their tanks, they stood in the shadow of AFP’s campaign bus emblazoned with the slogan: Obama’s Failing Agenda. One man registered voters. A Hispanic voter outreach group spoke Spanish to motorists filling up their tanks.
Americans for Prosperity is a conservative organization, co-founded by the wealthy political donors Charles and David Koch, that espouses the value of low taxes and low regulations.
But many motorists weren’t eager to listen to a political pitch; they were just thankful for the gas.
Still, while many said they didn’t blame Obama for the gas prices, they weren’t necessarily going to vote for him. Nor were they all that excited about Romney.
“I don’t know who I’m going to vote for,” said nonpartisan voter Rosemary Hufford as she pumped her gas. “I don’t think (Obama) is taking care of business.”
She said Obama could have an effect on gas prices if he cleared the way for the Keystone Pipeline to be built, adding that he could’ve put people to work through the project as well.
“But the Republicans could have gotten a better candidate. Mitt Romney is not up to par when it comes to the average person,” Hufford said.
She bristled at Romney’s comments caught by a hidden camera at a fundraiser in May, implying that 47 percent of voters supporting Obama are victims who want to rely on the government.
“People aren’t looking for handouts,” Hufford said. “People want to work. They want a job so they can take care of their family.”
Mark Miller, whose family owns the gas station where Americans for Prosperity held its event, said he doesn’t blame Obama for the high gas prices, either. But he does disagree with his policies and he was viscerally angry at Obama’s implication that business owners rely on government infrastructure and programs to be successful.
“If these roads weren’t here, would this gas station have just organically appeared?” Miller said. “Would the $1.8 million in start-up costs just have appeared? I didn’t see the government here when I was covering the 2 a.m. shift.”
This story was updated to include the day of the cheap gas event in Las Vegas.
The comments show that people don't understand the facts, just parrot the spin. Pity!
Obama promised energy prices would "necessarily skyrocket" and he's delivering! Enjoy!
So if you vote for Willard you get free gas?
Actually people paid as much as $4.25 a gallon under Bush. The reason gas was $1.84 when Obama took office was because it was:
1. January and the holiday travel season was over
2.The "winter formulation was in effect -which is cheaper
3. and most importantly the whole economy tanked. people were not traveling and the construction industry died etc. The was no demand, because Bush wrecked the economy. Think people.
One of which who controls big oil!
The idea that the Sun is actually a "newspaper" that presents "news" is getting more and more difficult to swallow. The headline and the story both demonstrate very clearly how the media is biased. It doesn't even phase the "newspaper" that gas was $1.84 a gallon when Obama became president and now it's almost $4. If that's not a tax on the poor, I don't know what is. Yet this fabulous newspaper can only play one sided politics.
What a shame! Each person comments in the article shows they do not have the facts. They got one thing right, they said they do not blame the President.
Are Reno residents that out of touch? Or are they just pandering to the Koch Brothers? Either way, going into the ballot box booth without being informed is irresponsible.
Wow! Are people really far out of touch?
Dave - Your commet is spot on! I was hoping though
for free bottles of Sam Adams Oktober Fest.
This President blows about the increased oil production, but he doesn't "blame Bush" for that, he just takes credit. Do you realize that the pipeline from Canada is less than 600 miles from Nevada. We could build a new fuel processing plant, the first in decades, a huge distribution center and service all western U.S. and export off the west coast. Last I checked, we have the Senate Majority Leader from our State. We wouldn't have to shut it down for hurricanes, no excuses for higher prices, and god forbid, we have some export and jobs. Yes, I blame this president, he refuses anything but solar panels.
Absolutely right Dave, it's always a good laugh to read the LVSun to see how they are going to spin a story in order to provide cover for Obama.
Kaylen said it not Obama's fault........ Lets see no drilling in the USA no pipe line from Canada no Shale digging. Coal Mines shut down coal mines fired (900) this month. No new gas refinery's Built since the 1970's. Oh wait solar energy is Obama's top energy source. You want the price of gas to change. start making changes.This country runs on oil dig for oil get rid of the EPA and any President who is unwilling to create energy Jobs (digging and refining oil products) here instead of some 3rd world country stuck on the stone age mentality of religion. Nothing will change them so be self sufficient with your energy.
Isn't it ironic that we keep buying oil from the Middle East giving them more money to buy weapons to kill our troops and possibly invade our country. Personally I blame all the presidents and everyone in congress that have allowed this to continue. We should be independent from foreign oil. We have enough oil on this side of the world to where we would never have to buy foreign oil again. Our problem is the fact that all these politicians knuckle under to all of the special interest nuts that do not want drilling on the continental USA. All of these so-called alternate energy projects do not provide jobs, they take jobs away from the private sector. It has been demonstrated with the closing of coal fired power plants, the closing of coal mines and the lack of drilling more and more across the country. This president would not sign off on the pipeline, stopped drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and has said that under him "energy prices will sky-rocket." So with the lack of common sense in the leadership of this country we the people suffer. We need to go a different direction. This president is not the answer and does not have the answer. Vote for Romney/Ryan.
Can someone explain why big government should build a $200bn pipeline for private companies? I mean especially when the GOP convention was centered around how businesses and individuals proclain "We Built This".
Manipulating supply, increasing production and price controls via big government, all sound like very socialist, bigger government measures.
Even if the US doubled its production of oil. It still would only provide 15% of the Worlds total production and would still need to import oil to meet demand.
Still if this could be achieved and by no means there is no study that suggests this is possible, OPEC and the Arab League could cut production. Thus the increased US production would be met with a cut in OPEC production, meaning demand and supply do not change.
When Obama's Secretary of Energy longs for "european style gas prices" you know we're in trouble. Halfway there, eh dims?
Ignorant rural trash of the GOP dont realize oil is a global market. China and India are now using oil in record numbers. Get out of your Suvs. The day of cheap gas is over. Fyi ot was 4.50 a gallon under Bush in CA and now is back to about he same level. God bless 1/2 of America!
Gas price's have doubled under Obama....Why is that?
Gas was a $1.83 a gallon when Obama took office. Obama and the Dem's heavilly limit drilling in the USA. Obama sends Billions of your dollars to other countries like Brazil to help them drill helping their economy's which leaves American oil & jobs in the ground. Obama rejects Keystone pipeline from Canada to Texas which would create tens of thousands of American jobs & help lower the price of gas.
CLICK FOR PROOF GAS PRICES HAVE DOUBLED UNDER OBAMA
http://www.washingtontimes.com/blog/wate...
CLICK FOR PROOF THAT OBAMA SENDS BILLIONS TO HELP OTHER COUNTRIES DRILL
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials...
CLICK FOR PROOF THAT OBAMA KILLS AMERICAN JOBS
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/...
the kooky Koch brothers want $100 a barrel oil
I want to show up there with my "Obama/Biden" bumper sticker!
Here we go . . . neocons blaming Obama for prices that are set by corporations that receive significant tax breaks while they report record profits. The CEOs are laughing to the bank while you blame Obama for your failure to realize that oil is a finite resource and fuel efficient vehicles actually exist. Don't like the prices? Stick a bike seat up your you-know-what.
Moreover, the Keystone Pipeline will INCREASE fuel prices in the Midwest by sending native petroleum products to the international market (Google it). If you want energy independence AND cheap gas, why would you want to export reserves on this continent to the world market? Straight to China, my friends.
I love this quote:
"For the organizers of the event, the cheap gas offering wasn't a handout for those in need.
"It's citizen education," said Nick Vander Poel, of Americans for Prosperity."
Yeah, it's not a handout, it's a political machine in action. Tammany Hall? George Washington Plunkitt? Does none of this ring a bell? Giving people a discount on gas in order to "educate" them on how to cast a vote is no different from the Political Machines of old that gave food and low-level jobs to immigrants fresh off the boats in order to secure votes to keep corrupt politicians on office as well as bring their friends in. The more things change, the more they stay the same. Barry Goldwater warned about this fiefdom BS decades ago, and no one listened.
@wizardofOz
It can't be any different from George W. Bush kissing the Saudi king on the face and walking around while holding hands with him.
http://whowhatwhy.com/wp-content/uploads...
http://freakoutnation.com/wp-content/upl...
Hi gas prices are not the president's fault. Unless of course it's Bush.
Re David Henry. The pipeline from Canada was designed to deliver this tar sands sludge from Canada to shipping ports and refineries in Texas, on the Gulf Coast for shipment overseas, not to reduce gas prices in the US. Since the pipeline through the heartland of the United States has been, rightfully, shelved by the president, the Canadian Govt. has begun the process of building the pipeline across several Canadian provinces to reach ports in western Canada. It is not going over well there. This was never about shipping this crap to the US for refining, and dispersion to American gas stations. It was, and still is, Canada's attempt to violate sovereign American lands for the express purpose of access to our refineries, and shipping ports. The processed oil,or gas, would then be shipped overseas.
Re the above letter to the editor. The law of supply and demand is once again on display for anyone who understands economics 101. The hurricane in the gulf, the fire at a refinery in California both are directly related to the cost of gas. There has been no refining capability built in this country for decades. When they are shut down or burned down, what do you think happens to the cost of gasoline? It goes up. This too shall pass, as the refineries get back on line to full capacity. Nobody in political office is to blame for this spike in gas prices. Blame the profit mongering oil companies for refusing to expend any of their gigantic profit margins on new and more technologically advanced refineries in this country.
New EPA regs will raise the cost of refining gasoline. All buck with little environmental gain. You can thank Obumma's EPA for the higher prices.
And they need to be high, to discourage gas gulping vehicles that have put this country at a disadvantage globally. Those who can't "afford" the cost of gas will suffer, of course. It still comes down to simple economics: supply and demand. As demand will decrease, the cost of gas will go down. Gas guzzling SUV's, trucks, and elite gas guzzlers will disappear, as they should. You can "blame" whomever you want. Look in the mirror. There will be a paradigm shift in what you (and I) drive, no matter what. It's called progress and technology, and it will not be stopped.
Rooney: "Yeah, it's not a handout, it's a political machine in action."
At least they're not doing it with taxpayer dollars like the foodstamp president is.
Geez wish I was in Reno so I could get cheap gas. To bad the government doesn't do that in Vegas.