Reader responds to Harsanyi column

“You can fool all of the people some of the time, and some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all the people all of the time”— Abraham Lincoln

David Harsanyi keeps trying, like in his June 4 column claiming Democrats want high gas prices (“Why aren’t liberals celebrating pricey gas?”).

Someone should remind him that in June 2008, gas prices in Cedar Rapids were $4 per gallon. I know this because for a year after the flood, a station on First Avenue had a sign showing $3.98 per gallon. This after eight years of George W. Bush and GOP policies.

Prices declined under President Barack Obama. Yes, the recession caused a lot of that, but so did policies that promoted clean energy like solar, wind and natural gas along with increased mileage standards. This served two purposes — to reduce the burning of fossil fuels thus protecting the environment and to hold down the cost of oil and all fuels. Under Obama policies, farmers enjoyed lower fuel costs and support for ethanol over favoritism for oil producers.

Now, prices are rising thanks to President Donald Trump ending higher mileage standards, pulling out of the Paris Accord, promoting fossil fuels and cozying up to the Saudis and other oil producers. Harsanyi fails to mention this and ignores the hidden costs of GOP policies, including the tariffs, which harm Iowa’s farmers and add more costs to the average, hardworking Iowan. Wake up, Iowa, and stop being fooled.

Larry Hodgden

Tipton