Back to facts. I am amazed that some still do not understand the basic economic law of supply and demand. The oil exporting nations  (OPEC) decide on production quotas (how much oil to produce) as long as they keep production down in a time of rising demand, prices will go up. This is basic economics, not rocket science. As comforting as it may be to the left to blame the big bad oil companies for the increase in prices, you give them too much credit. OPEC controls the production and thus the price of oil. In case you do not know, OPEC stands for Organization of Oil Exporting Countries not  oil exporting companies. It was many years ago that those countries took over the oil fields from the companies.

I am all in favor of developing alternatives to oil for energy, and billions are being spent to do just that. In the long term I am sure that new technologies will replace oil. In the short and middle term however, we will be dependent on oil. We missed the boat in the last few decades when we stopped building nuclear power plants which for the foreseeable future are the only alternative  to replace fossil fuel power plants, a number of countries produce 40% or more of their energy via nuclear power. Want to guess what the political philosophy is of the people who stunted nuclear power in the US?  The same people who opposed nuclear power, opposed drilling for oil and building refineries. Now they are shocked, shocked, that oil prices are up and want the oil companies to explain why. The hypocrisy is awe inspiring. Watching a liberal complain about oil prices is like watching a pig fly. you stand back in amazement. Not so much about the fact he is flying  but because he has the nerve to even try.

Where do I start? Lets start with your assertion that Bush is responsible for oil prices due to his economic policies. You completely ignore the basic law of supply and demand, you also ignore the fact that the President enforces the laws, he does not make them. That is the job of Congress. If as you say this nations economic policies are responsible for the recent increase in oil prices, one must ask who set those policies.(by enacting laws). For the past two years that has been the job of a Democrat controlled Congress. SO if your premise was sound (which it is not) the President and Congress share responsibility.

As for a correlation between the drop in the value of the dollar and the rise in the price of oil, do the math. It will be simple, if what you say is accurate the dollar will have fallen the same percentage as oil prices rose. You will find that you are in error. In two years oil prices have doubled, if you were correct the dollar would have to be worth half as much as it was two years ago, with the corresponding effect that our other imports would double in price. Even you must admit that imports (other that oil) have not doubled in price. This is not to say that a lower value dollar does not have some effect , but it is a small one when compared to that old supply and demand. As a side note a weaker dollar has some advantages. It makes imports more expensive and our exports cheaper. As a result we buy less and sell more to other countries. Some countries even keep their currency artificially low for that very reason.

Some have allowed their visceral hate for Bush to dominate their thinking. Logic takes a back seat to hate. Why is it so hard for some to accept that the OPEC nations, having a raw material that is finite, and will last a few decades at best, want to cash in while they can. They will keep the price of oil as high as they can ,for as long as they can, to make as much money as they can.  

I give up. Bush hate overwhelms logic. When fact are shown that disprove your opinions you call it spin. Some of you will have an empty life next year,if Obama wins, with no one to hate. As for trying to discuss this thread with some of you - Vir prudens non contra ventum mingit.

Hastings....
The original post asked about standard of living and Bush (an oilman and PUS) being unaware of rising gas prices. It just seems odd that the PUS could not know (or have heard) that gas prices were going to reach the current prices they are.
As far as the spin, the righties took the thread in a different direction and began blaming liberals for the high costs of oil. That is spinning the thread because nobody can logically answer the cluelessness of Georgie.

When is that last time a politican was asked a simply questions and you got a straight answer?  Bottom line is it comes down to business, and government doesn't understand business, that is why we have a national debt as large as we do.

I don't think 7-8 years ago anyone would have predicted gas at these prices.  You can all sit here and call Bush a moron, but I don't think you were predicting $4 gas back then either.  Keeping in mind what sets gas prices.  Supply and Demand (OPEC) and oil futures (speculators).  If your hatred for Bush wasn't so blinding, maybe you could understand this.

Yes, Bush and the Republicans failed to pass a bill for drilling in ANWAR.  Yes gas was half the price when they were trying to do so.

Yes, the Democrats have failed to do anything as well since they took over the Congress.  Fact- Congress is the one's that pass laws, and since the Democrats took over the Congress, gas has nearly doubled in the last 2 years.  There is an inconvienient truth!

Fact- the biggest profiteer on gasoline IS THE GOVERNMENT!!!!!

Ahhh - back to the orginal post that asked if we have noticed that it is harder to maintain the same standard of living as compared to 6-7 years ago.   DEFINITELY!!   I knew that our children would probably not be able to live the lifesytle they grew up in, but I didn't realize that it would hit us too, at least not so soon and so quickly.

Reality is an eye opener and we will have to get used to it.