The Sky Is Falling

We have other things to worry about besides poll numbers.  Like monkey snipers.

Blackwaterdog is upset about Obama's recently sliding poll numbers.  Here.

She makes the point that unemployment has fallen a full point since December when he was flying pretty high in polls.  Where is the love?

I think there are several reasons.

First, there was a lot of Manic Progressive caterwauling over the budget deal that turned out to be nonsensical.  Maybe...MAYBE as word leaks out that very little spending this year was cut, he will bounce back a little with his fickle base.

Second, the budget deal was kind of a crap sandwich all the way through and few people came out of it looking good.

Third, and most important, people are starting to feel the pinch of inflation caused by rising fuel costs.  Fuel costs were at the heart of inflation in the Seventies - which sucked if you are too young to remember - and they could cause real problems for the recovery.  If the Fed starts raising interest rates to stave off energy based inflation, the recovery, such as it is, could be choked off.

But for the average American, they know that gas is $4 a gallon and suddenly their food costs more.

This is a real issue.  I wonder about how much the rise in fuel costs is speculative, built around unrest in the Middle East, and how much is global demand picking up after the recession.

Whatever the reason, it's reason #23846 why we need (and have needed) a national energy and transportation policy.

Unfortunately, that idea was first introduced by Jimmy Carter, and we all know he's a worthless failure and incapable of having a good idea.

Plus, the GOP's idea of an energy policy is drill, baby, drill, so you can't expect much until 2013 at the earliest.  But given people's anger at declining buying power, you have to wonder how that will play out at the polls.