OPINION:
As a counter to rising fuel prices, President Trump said in an interview over the weekend that his White House is “very seriously” considering a ban on diesel exports. It’s a tricky maneuver that economic experts suggest could backfire — epically.
But if the cost of living is the deciding factor for most voters — and it usually is — then the current average $6.53 per gallon price of diesel fuel, the highest in years, is good news for Democrats; bad news for Republicans.
And polls, for what they’re worth, are reflecting this political reality.
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“Cook Political Report founder Charlie Cook on Sunday said that it has been a ‘done deal’ conclusion that Democrats are likely to retake the House after the November midterm elections, while their chances of claiming the Senate look ‘very realistic,’” The Hill reported.
It wasn’t that long ago the Senate turning blue was unthinkable, Cook said.
But high prices on staples — food, energy, fuel — have been having their effect on the American voter.
“Skyrocketing diesel prices rattle Republicans as midterms approach,” The Associated Press wrote.
The story went on: “Republicans in key states like Iowa and Michigan called for ending exports of diesel refined in the United States to help boost domestic supply.”
Trump is entertaining the idea. According to S&P Global Energy, America goes through an estimated 4.1 million barrels of diesel per day, and exports about 1.5 million barrels daily. Since diesel powers the economy, even a small increase brings large consequences for the consumer. And lately, the increases have been anything but small.
As of Sept. 21, the average price per gallon for diesel was $6.53. In March of 1994, the average was just over $1.10 per gallon, MacroTrends.net reported. The average per-gallon price of diesel hit its lowest cost in January of 1999, when it stood at about 97 cents. From there, it’s ranged from $4.67 in mid-2008 to $2.09 in early 2016; back up to $5.57 in mid-2022; down to $3.52 earlier this year. Between January and now, the price has risen by about $3 per gallon, on average.
And with the war in Iran, and tight global supplies, it shows little sign of dropping.
“But what the president has loosely proposed [banning exports] isn’t that simple,” Yahoo!Finance reported. “On the one hand, diesel prices would probably fall for a short time frame domestically if a partial or full ban on exports were enacted. However, this supply-demand mismatch would be quickly remedied by refiners. [They] … would simply cut their production to meet domestic demand.”
And why wouldn’t they?
Cutting global demand to lower prices domestically would create an artificial market.
Oil companies aren’t going to suck up the losses created by politics and war and forced closures of shipping routes.
That’s a move for a communist country to make. Are we going to nationalize the fuel industry as a means of permanently controlling prices? No.
So rock, meet hard place.
“I think there is some fatigue in that the American people see diesel prices increasing,” Republican Rep. Rick Crawford of Arkansas said, The Hill wrote.
True, true, very, very true.
“Democrats Take Double-Digit Poll Lead 40 Days Out From Midterms,” Newsweek just wrote.
“Voters sour on Trump economy as Dems open midterm lead,” Missouri Current just wrote.
“September 2026 National Poll: Democrats with 11-Point Congressional Midterm Ballot Advantage,” Emerson College Polling just wrote.
Polls are only glimpses during a specific period of time and are often skewed. They’re often biased, often misinterpreted by members of the media who don’t do the due diligence to put the numbers into perspective — or who purposely report only those takeaways they want to feed the public.
But this is a time when common sense joins with polling numbers. And most voters are smart enough to look back six months, nine months, a year and notice, hey, these prices have skyrocketed. They’re frustrated; they’re angry.
Unless something dramatic happens to make the prices fall, the Democrats do stand a good chance of taking back political leadership — meaning: Trump’s final years will be mostly lame duck and filled with the left’s ridiculous calls for his impeachment.
• Cheryl Chumley can be reached at cchumley@washingtontimes.com or on Twitter, @ckchumley. Listen to her podcast “Bold and Blunt” by clicking HERE. And never miss her column; subscribe to her newsletter and podcast by clicking HERE. Her latest book, “God-Given Or Bust: Defeating Marxism and Saving America With Biblical Truths,” is available by clicking HERE.
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