US energy producers roast Biden for demanding 'companies running gas stations' lower pump prices
Biden urged gas companies on Saturday to realize 'this is a time of war and global peril'
The U.S. Oil & Gas Association took a hit at President Biden after he tweeted on Saturday that "companies running gas stations" should simply "bring down the price you are charging at the pump," telling him that he should "please make sure the WH intern who posted this tweet registers for Econ 101 for the fall semester."
"Working on it Mr. President. In the meantime - have a Happy 4th and please make sure the WH intern who posted this tweet registers for Econ 101 for the fall semester...," they tweeted.
On Sunday, Biden tweeted that "companies running gas stations" should take note that "this is a time of war and global peril."
"My message to the companies running gas stations and setting prices at the pump is simple: this is a time of war and global peril," Biden tweeted on Saturday. "Bring down the price you are charging at the pump to reflect the cost you’re paying for the product. And do it now."
BIDEN TWEETS DEMAND FOR GAS STATIONS TO 'BRING DOWN' PRICES, GETS PRAISED BY CHINESE STATE MEDIA
President Joe Biden addresses the 76th Session of the U.N. General Assembly on Sept. 21, 2021, in New York City. (Timothy A. Clary-Pool / Getty Images)
Biden's tweet comes as gas prices are averaging at $4.812 nationwide, which is up 5 cents from one month ago. In some states, however, prices are much higher.
In California, the average price per gallon of gas is $6.244 and in Illinois, it's $5.325.
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Gas prices at a station in San Diego, California, Nov., 9, 2021. (Mike Blake/File / Reuters Photos)
Biden has attempted to deflect blame for the increase in gas prices to Russian President Vladimir Putin, dubbing it the "Putin's Price Hike," a term used repeatedly by the White House, despite his campaign promise to always take responsibility and not blame others.
The call for action from Biden follows a failed proposal from the Oval Office to implement a 90-day gas tax holiday, which was dismissed by even Democratic lawmakers as outlandish.
During the presidential campaign, Biden vowed to sacrifice the energy boom, low prices, and even jobs for the sake of his green agenda.
In the December 2019 Democratic debate, moderator Tim Alberta asked: "Three consecutive American presidents have enjoyed stints of explosive economic growth due to a boom in oil and natural gas production. As president, would you be willing to sacrifice some of that growth, even knowing potentially that it could displace thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of blue-collar workers in the interest of transitioning to that greener economy?"
"The answer is yes," the former vice president said.
Biden canceled the Keystone XL pipeline, which would have delivered about 870,000 barrels of oil per day from Canada to Texas refineries, and "paused" oil and gas leases on federal lands during his first hours in office. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently warned of a discretionary Environmental Protection Agency rule that, if imposed, would raise gas prices even further.
Biden has veered between embracing high gas prices as the price of an "incredible transition" to a "green" economy, to blaming Vladimir Putin, to blaming energy producers, and now blaming gas station owners, who only make a few cents per gallon of gas they sell.