Mission Accomplished! Gas Surpasses $4/Gallon Throughout the U.S.

Kids, I finally found a policy position that the President hasn't lied about. Candidate Obama wasn't kidding when he said that energy prices 'would necessarily skyrocket' under his regime of manufactured shortages, drilling bans, cap-and-trade, and refinery shutdowns.

Gas in 6 states, nation's capital tops $4 a gallon

Add New York to the growing list of states where gas prices are topping $4 per gallon.

On Sunday, the Empire State became the sixth state to top $4 for the average price of a gallon of gas, joining Alaska, California, Connecticut, Hawaii and Illinois, according to AAA's Daily Fuel Gauge. The average price of gas also rose to more than $4 per gallon in Washington, D.C., on Saturday.

...The next states to join the list could be Michigan, which has gas for $3.95 per gallon on average, and Indiana, where the average price is $3.94. Nevada, Washington and Wisconsin are close behind... Hawaii has the highest price in the U.S. at $4.48 per gallon. Wyoming has the lowest, at $3.54.

The national average for gas has increased for 26 straight days, and is now at $3.83 per gallon. That's up 29 cents from a month ago. Retail surveys suggest motorists are reacting to higher prices now by buying less fuel. Still, the government expects pump prices to keep climbing this summer as vacationers take to the highways...

No one in the Gulf region is surprised by these developments.

Gulf Coast lawmakers and drilling industry officials say a "de facto moratorium" remains in effect, stifling an industry that accounts for thousands of jobs in the region.

Rep. Doc Hastings, R-Wash., chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee... said 12 drilling rigs have left the Gulf because Interior officials aren't acting quickly enough to approve drilling permits... Hastings and Sen. David Vitter, R-La., are pushing legislation that would speed the permit process in the Gulf, where Vitter said "we still have a virtual shutdown."

The slowdown in the permitting process is intentional and its results will be disastrous for not only the Gulf Coast, but the entire U.S. economy.


Chart: GasBuddy.com