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Opinion
Jun. 08, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

ERIN NEFF: Prices at the pump might drive upcoming election

ERIN NEFF
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You know the leading issue for voters this fall will be the economy when an owner of a Prius is complaining at the pumps.

But if you take a moment away from your own anger the next time you fill up, you can enjoy a bit of solace knowing there is safety in numbers.

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    • Last Thursday afternoon, I talked to several motorists filling up at the bargain price of $4.05 for regular unleaded at a Terrible's Chevron on Rampart Boulevard in Summerlin.

    As the pump neared $40, Harry Clayton grimaced.

    "I figured the extra sticker price was worth it at the pumps," Clayton said of the trendy blue Toyota hybrid that gets him plenty of compliments around Sun City. "Basically, it's a great conversation starter whenever someone sees me get out of it in a parking lot.

    "But I'm just as broke as them," he added.

    Clayton got off easier than Maria and Frank Lopez, who own a Ford F-150 pickup.

    Typically, Frank drops Maria off at work at a medical office on Rancho Drive before heading to a construction site where he occasionally needs his truck.

    "It's really to the point where we can't afford to work," Frank said, handing over a few $20 bills to his wife to pre-pay.

    Maria said she's thought about taking mass transit and even went to the Regional Transportation Commission's Web site to find a suitable bus route.

    "I typed in our address and my work address thinking it was like Google maps," she said. "It told me my best route was pedestrian at 7.4 miles."

    The Lopezes said they used to bemoan the fact they were a one-vehicle couple. Now they're trying to figure out how to be a no-vehicle one.

    "I used to say that my driving habits would change if we ever hit $2.50 a gallon," he said. "Now we went from $3 to $4 just like that, and I almost haven't had time to change."

    Forget about going out for dinner, Maria and Frank said they don't even rent movies anymore.

    "And nobody's doing a thing about it," Maria said. "All I hear about on the radio is how we're not supposed to buy gas during the day because of the ozone. When are we going to hear a solution for how we're going to buy gas?"

    The Lopezes have already spent their tax stimulus check of $600. Half went to pay a gas credit card and the other half has already been handed over to fill up the truck.

    "I'm so thankful we had it because it meant we could keep using the truck the past few weeks," Frank Lopez said. "Now, we're really at the point where we have to find a bus, even if it means a long walk from the house to the stop."

    Jessie Arthur wiped her windshield clean as she put $56 into her Corolla.

    "I used to round up to the dollar when I pumped," she said. "Now, if that thing clicks off, I hang it up. I'm so sick of this."

    Arthur, a student at the College of Southern Nevada, said she can't afford gas at $4.05 a gallon, but can't live without her car.

    "I'm basically just putting gas on credit cards," she said. "I know it's not what you're supposed to do, but I really can't walk."

    Arthur has two jobs roughly 25 miles apart and squeezes in time for classes.

    "I think I'd need about four different buses and would still be walking a ton if I gave up my car," she said.

    Analysts used to say driving habits would change when gas crossed $3 or $4 or $5 a gallon.

    Here in the Las Vegas Valley, where prices have climbed 20 cents in just under two weeks, even those who are driving less are being driven crazy.

    This is the perfect climate to sow political fear. And that's precisely what Republican-led efforts to stall a climate change bill in Congress have in mind.

    In the long run, the best solution is to reduce our dependency on $135-a-barrel-and-climbing foreign oil. If the goals of the climate bill are met, we will have more feasible options, better performing vehicles and, in theory, reduced demand for foreign oil.

    But all you hear from the Republican attack machine is that the legislation would raise gas prices.

    Doing nothing for the environment certainly hasn't reduced prices. It would seem it's high time to try something else.

    Here's how gas prices translated to politics at the local pump Thursday.

    Frank and Maria Lopez are registered Democrats and said that while they supported Hillary Clinton, they will stick with Barack Obama this fall.

    Clayton, a registered independent, said he typically votes for Republicans for president and voted for George W. Bush twice.

    "No more of that," Clayton said. "John McCain seems like he's just going to keep on with the Bush policies in the Middle East that help spike these prices."

    Arthur, 20, said she's never voted. She plans to register this year as a Republican like her parents and older brother. Only she plans to vote for Obama.

    "Something has to change," she said.

    Those three motorists hardly constitute a scientific sample, but it's clear from the anger and angst at area service stations that this election will shape up around the pumps and the pocketbooks.

    Contact Erin Neff at (702) 387-2906, or by e-mail at eneff@reviewjournal.com

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    jep wrote on June 10, 2008 01:08 PM: Maybe Obama can bottle some magic to run our cars on, because he sure isn't going to get us any more oil.


    Fausto wrote on June 08, 2008 05:42 PM: "We undoubtedly need to pursue new sources of energy but the quickest fix we could make would be instituting sound money principles championed by Ron Paul."

    I have heard Ron Paul has come up with a cure for cancer as well.


    Howard wrote on June 08, 2008 05:03 PM: Has Erin every met anyone who wasn't voting for the democrats? In 2004 everyone she ran into was voting for John Kerry. In 2006 it was Hafen and Titus. Her and Jane Ann are not even attempting to columnists anymore. They are just shills for the socialist workers party.


    mark wrote on June 08, 2008 04:18 PM: Ron Paul spelled out the solutions. The biggest culprit is our weakened dollar. Untold hundreds of billions have been added to our money supply to shore up Bear Stearns and delay more banking collapses since January. The price of gasoline hasn't risen at the same rate in Europe? Why, they have a stronger currency. We undoubtedly need to pursue new sources of energy but the quickest fix we could make would be instituting sound money principles championed by Ron Paul.


    Fausto wrote on June 08, 2008 02:22 PM: "there will be enough intelligent people voting to overcome the dummies that stuck us with Bush (twice),

    Quality post. I can especially appreciate the name calling. It should be noted more *dummies* voted for Bush than ever voted for Clinton. 60 million in the last election alone!



    FF wrote on June 08, 2008 01:39 PM: So go ahead and vote for the people who block energy production in this country. Go ahead and vote for the party which is seeking an addition massive tax on all energy. You think it's expensive now? Wait four years! The dems have already authored over 100 tax increase bills, all they are waiting for is a president that will sign them. Look out in January!


    Herb wrote on June 08, 2008 01:00 PM: Not only did Dems not lower gas prices, gas has gone way UP since they took over congress in 2006. Yet they still want to blame Bush. If we really wanted to lower gas prices we would ignore the wacky environmentalists and start drilling in Alaska. I would like to see us become less dependent on oil from the Middle East.


    say what wrote on June 08, 2008 11:41 AM: JOHNATHAN,99 cent gal gas.mabey the real reason bush went to war was that sadamn was going off the dollar and he was going to export a lot of oil.and that would keep oil prices down and bush and his oil buddies won't stand for that..the same thing is going to happen in iran..


    tim wrote on June 08, 2008 11:35 AM: is'nt it amazing,the dems.have been in control of congress for over two yrs.now and its all the republicans fault.a fool and his money are soon parted,careful what you wish for in oblama.it goes both ways folks,you cant have your cake and eat it too.both parties could care less about the working man.


    Johnathan L. Abbinett wrote on June 08, 2008 10:53 AM: It's the unnecessary, illegal, immoral Bush/Ensign/Gibbons/Heller/Porter Unjust War in Iraq AND the economy dummies!

    The THREE TRILLION DOLLAR Iraq debacle is the financial black hole sucking us into generations of debt!

    Whatever happened to the Republican promise that we'd have 99 cent/gal gas and Iraq would pay for the war and welcome us as liberators?

    Oh, yeah, right, that was just the beginning of their lies!

    The one good thing that will come out of this election cycle is thousands of newly registered citizens will cast a vote for change and, hopefully, there will be enough intelligent people voting to overcome the dummies that stuck us with Bush (twice), lousy Reps in the House like Porter "The Puppet" and "Helluva" Heller, and the worst Governor, "No New Taxes" Gibbons, ever in Nevada history?


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