The Political Insider

On Tuesday, Biden Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg made curious comments about household budgets and the cost of gas when he was asked by a CNBC host about the skyrocketing costs at the pump. 

Buttigieg made his comments during an interview on “Squawk Box” with host Rebecca Quick.

RELATED: Biden Spokesman Snaps At Reporter Who Asks ‘So That’s It?’ After Admin Fails To Condemn Mass Execution In Saudi Arabia

Buttigieg Asked About Tax

Quick said, “Your administration has been very clear about not wanting to raise taxes on average Americans of the middle class. But gas prices at the pump have been a huge tax on anybody who is driving anywhere.”

“What do you do about that, and are you in favor of potentially putting a hold on the national gas tax in the meantime until those prices do come down?” Quick asked.

Buttigieg replied, “Well it continues to be important to keep options open. As you know, the president has taken a lot of steps to bring relief and to help stabilize oil prices, including that big release from the strategic petroleum reserve.”

“Of course, the long term solution for this is energy independence and a shift to renewable energy here in this country,” he added.

“Let’s also remember while oil prices and gas prices are famously something that is largely outside of the direct control of any political figure, there are a lot of things we could be doing right now that would bring direct relief to the pocketbooks of American families that are greater than most any family’s gasoline bill,” Buttigieg continued.

That direct relief? 

“That includes lowering the cost of insulin, the President’s for it, and we’re getting a lot of pushback on it. Lowering the cost of child care. We’re for it, we’re getting a lot of pushback on it. Often from the very same people who are criticizing us over inflation or gas prices.”

Blame For Gas Prices

Even though gas prices were rising before Russia invaded Ukraine, the president and his administration continue to blame Russian President Vladimir Putin for higher costs.

Biden and Democrats have latched on to the slogan “Putin’s price hike” as the cause for the last few days. 

But just today, Biden took a new tack, blaming “greed” from oil companies:

As Joe Concha argues at The Hill, Biden has long expressed animosity towards American energy production that isn’t “green.”

In a Democratic debate, Biden forcefully declared: “No more subsidies for the fossil fuel industry! No more drilling on federal lands! No more drilling, including offshore! No ability for the oil industry to continue to drill, period. [It] ends. Number one!” 

RELATED: Biden Admin Briefs TikTok Influencers To ‘Help Sway Public Opinion’ About Russia And War In Ukraine