Lambasting President Bush has become cliché in recent years, but his statement about gas prices yesterday almost made me fall off my chair.

Here are some of President Bush's words urging congress to lift the ban on offshore drilling:

"I know the Democratic leaders have opposed some of these policies in the past," Mr. Bush said. "Now that their opposition has helped drive gas prices to record levels, I ask them to reconsider their positions. If Congressional leaders leave for the Fourth of July recess without taking action, they will need to explain why $4-a-gallon gasoline is not enough incentive for them to act."

Here are some thoughts, opinions, and facts:

• His dad George H.W. Bush signed an executive order banning coastal oil exploration in 1990
• His brother Jeb Bush, was an outspoken opponent of offshore drilling when he was governor of Florida
• Charlie Crist, the current governor of Florida has always been in support of a ban on coastal drilling - he has since switched his stance
• Charlie Crist wants to be Vice-President
• A 2007 Department of Energy study found that access to coastal energy deposits would not add to domestic crude oil and natural gas production before 2030 and that the impact on prices would be insignificant.
• The price of oil is based on the supply and demand of oil in the global market (among other things)
• US production makes up minuscule fraction of the global supply - expanding domestic production will do absolutely nothing to help ease gas prices
• John McCain doesn't know what he thinks - he has changed his mind over the course of three weeks

I'm not even angry about the potential damage to environment. Maybe I should be, but frankly, I don't understand enough of the facts to make a cogent argument either way. What really ticks me off is how the American public keeps getting fed bullshit day after day. This is one of the most transparent gimmicks since the gas-tax "holiday." How many more of these can politicians try over the coming months? My best guess is they will continue to try everything until something sticks. This might be a good strategy to win an election, but it's definitely not the best way forward for the country. I'm beginning to hate this election year - logic and reason is being thrown out the window at an accelerating pace.