Americans love their cars and cars rely on gasoline — thus it isn't surprising that record-high prices have become an issue on the campaign trail. In the last week of March 2004 President Bush and John Kerry traded accusations and blame. Bush suggested Kerry would raise gas prices further through gas taxes, pointing to a decade-old vote on a deficit-reducing issue, while Kerry targeted the president's Iraq and environmental policies. Meanwhile, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which represents about 1/3 of the world's oil supply, voted on March 31, 2004 to cut its oil output target by 4 percent — which analysts predict will raise prices further.

Of course, there is no guarantee that all OPEC countries will fall into line, and Russia, one of the world's largest producers, is not a member of the group. And then there's the President's Energy Bill, which has been stuck in Congress for three years. A cornerstone of the White House plan calls for opening up new U.S. oil reserves like those in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

In 2002, Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and John Kerry (D-MA) proposed a bill to raise fuel economy standards to 36 miles per gallon by 2015 in order to reduce our dependence on foreign oil and to eliminate the need to drill in the Arctic. The bill was defeated.

CGas and oil supplies will likely remain a key campaign issue — touching of issues on kitchen table economies, foreign relations, and the environment.

The Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration (EIA) is attempting to forestall questions about the pain Americans are feeling at the gasoline pump. The March 31, 2004 edition of "This Week in Petroleum" spells out the facts bluntly:

The average price of $1.758 per gallon as of March 29 is still a far cry from the inflation-adjusted March 1981 average price, which would be equivalent to $2.99 per gallon in today’s dollars, but it is still the highest seen in many parts of the country in recent memory...For a typical family with two vehicles, each driven 11,000 miles per year and averaging 20 miles per gallon, a 10 cent higher gasoline price over an entire year translates into an added fuel cost of $110, assuming no change in miles driven.

What does this all mean for the average driver? Well, that depends on where you reside. If you're in Chicago you can expect to pay $1.825 per gallon, in Cleveland, $1.729. Seattle residents will have to chock up $1.80 and in Los Angeles, $2.141.

Average Retail Gas Prices: March 29, 2003 Regular Grade Dollars per gallon, including all taxes:

		California: this week/last week:  2.079 /2.097 Colorado: this week/last week:  1.762 /1.701 Florida: this week/last week:  1.771 /1.765 Massachusetts: this week/last week:  1.726 /1.714 Minnesota: this week/last week:  1.705 /1.685 Ohio: this week/last week:  1.728 /1.674 Texas: this week/last week:  1.626 /1.610 Washington: this week/last week:  1.808 /1.812

Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration

You can find out the average price in your locale by using the AAA's Fuel Gauge Report. The AAA also offers tips on cutting gas consumption. Of course, when compared with gas prices in other countries — U.S. prices might not seem so bad.

Gas Prices Worldwide: March 21, 2004 U.S. Dollars per gallon, including taxes

		Belgium:  3.36 France:  3.31 Germany:  3.49 Italy:  3.34 Netherlands:  3.87 United Kingdom:  4.16

Source: Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration