There is no Obama War on Coal, Gas, or Oil. None. Nada. Zip. Zilch.

[riqster]

"One of the lies that is being peddled of late is an alleged Obama “War on Coal”. This is repeated for natural gas and oil, as well. The idea is that massive over-regulation by our commienazisocialistkenyanmuslimchristianhawaiianohwhatthehellcallhimeverynameinthebookandseewhatsticks President is somehow dejobbing coal miners and well drillers, causing poverty, blight, and maybe even gum disease. There’s a little problem with this scenario, however: it is not true. Not even a little bit.

It is true that coal output is down, and mining jobs are being lost (in some parts of the country). But it has nothing to do with President Obama (or Bush, or any occupant of the Oval Office): it has to do with the free market. Here’s how it works:

Due to the lightly-regulated natural gas market, lots and lots of gas wells got drilled in the past few years. So many, in fact, that the price of natural gas is lower than a politician’s moral standards. So low that lots of power plants switched from coal to gas to save money and earn bigger profits. Less coal being burned means less coal needs mined, so fewer miners are needed. That is the free market at work, and the government had almost nothing to do with it."

More at the link: http://bluntandcranky.wordpress.com/2012/10/24/there-is-no-obama-war-on-coal-gas-or-oil-none-nada-zip-zilch/

[krawhitham]

1. Gas is down to $3.13 here in Cincinnati

Down from 3.65 two weeks ago

[riqster]

2. Yep, the refinery issues of the summer are largely fixed

It's $3.33 near my home in North Wherethehell, OH.

Of course, since the industry shuttered so many refineries in the 90's, we are vulnerable to future supply-chain-induced spikes (or those caused by speculation, etc.).

[Jackpine Radical]

3. $3.54 here, down from $3.89 a few weeks ago.

And, actually, we NEED a war on coal, gas & oil.