Well, it's official

Gas prices have doubled in just over two years of Barack Obama's presidency. We've been watching this for a while here. At the same point in their respective presidencies, this is much worse that Bush or Clinton. Remember when Barack Obama took office? Gas was $1.81 per gallon then. So, whose fault is it? Nancy Pelosi blamed Bush when gas became more expensive during his term. Where is Nancy now?

Where is the Outrage?

Back in 2008, Nancy Pelosi was screaming about how Bush's "big oil agenda" was scamming the American people. Where is the outrage today? I've talked about this previously, but with gas prices continuing to rise, where is the outrage?

Gas was $1.81 per gallon when Barack Obama was coronated.

Where is the outrage in the media? Where are the interviews of grandmas and working class folks telling us, in their best Southern drawl, that they just can't make it to work, that they can't afford their medicine, that they are having to cut back in every area of their life, etc.? Where is the outrage? We saw these stories and interviews when Bush was President. Every. Single. Day.

Based on the February 21, 2011 weekly average of $3.189 per gallon, gas prices are up 76.19% since Obama took office. [Updated to add: AAA says the average is $3.368 per gallon today.] Let's call it 25 months. So, to update my prior post on this subject:

8 years of Bush - Gas prices up 25%
8 years of Clinton - Gas prices up 38%
2 years of Obama - Gas prices up 76.19%

Punishment for Scooter Libby

Scooter Libby should get the same punishment that Bill Clinton got when he was less than truthful under oath. He lost his law license for five years. Clinton's lies were no less damaging; in fact, they were more damaging. Clinton was impeached for perjury and obstruction of justice, the same charges of which Libby was criminally charged. The only reason that Clinton was not convicted in the Senate was pure politics and mismanagement of the process; guilt or innocence had little to do with it. If I recall correctly, 45 members of the Senate voted to convict him.

Libby should lose his law license and this idiotic prosecution should be put to rest. Much like Martha Stewart, Libby was convicted for lying about a crime that the prosecution cannot prove even happened. It seems to me if it is a criminal matter, the underlying crime should be proven before a conviction could be had on obstruction of justice charges. If no crime has been committed, hasn't justice been served and therefore not obstructed? As for perjury, if it takes dozens of witnesses for the prosecution to make its case, it seems that the prosecution has a problem. Most perjury cases are slam dunks; they are easy. This was not an easy case and reasonable minds could differ.

In order to win this, the prosecution needed to bring in someone who already had a tremendous reputation for credibility - Tim Russert. Russert could very well be lying, but his reputation makes him practically unassailable. He is the Walter Cronkite of our day and people are very much inclined to believe him. I think his testimony would make it very difficult to not prejudice the jury because of his reputation and his celebrity status.