President Obama channels Marie Antoinette

**Posted by Phineas

Jeez, is this guy tone-deaf, or what? President Obama was at a town-hall meeting in Bucks County, PA, to tout his plans for energy independence* when a citizen peasant complained to him about high gas prices:

“Gas prices? They’re going to still fluctuate until we can start making these broader changes, and that’s going to take a couple of years to have serious effect,” Obama said.

Obama needled one questioner who asked about gas prices, now averaging close to $3.70 a gallon nationwide, and suggested that the gentleman consider getting rid of his gas-guzzling vehicle.

“If you’re complaining about the price of gas and you’re only getting 8 miles a gallon, you know,” Obama said laughingly. “You might want to think about a trade-in.”

Because, Lord knows, we can all just run out and buy a new or new-used car whenever we want in this great economy, especially with fuel prices surging** and the Cash for Clunkers program having artificially jacked-up the prices on used cars. And it’s not as if this uppity peon might need to spend the money on something else, such as a mortgage, kids’ expenses, food (with prices going up on that, too), etc.

And what’s with this “8 miles a gallon” nonsense? As Ed Morrissey points out, passenger cars haven’t had that kind of mileage since the 1970s.

We’ve gone from Bill Clinton, a president who famously said he feels our pain, to Barack Obama, who mocks an American’s sincerely felt worries. Way to go, sir. That’s really going to help your reelection chances in Pennsylvania, a state you desperately need.

Schmuck.

*No, really. Stop laughing.

**Over $4 per gallon around Public Secrets Global HQ.

via Instapundit

(Crossposted at Public Secrets)