Wherever you are filling up your tank, it’s taking more money from your wallet.
The prices Monday in South Florida, around $4.15 for a gallon of regular gasoline, are about a dollar more than last year at this time.
Julie Fray started a floral bouquet delivery business in December.
“Unfortunately, my company has lasted four months, and that’s it, I’m not taking any more orders, and I’m really sad about it and it’s all because of these high gas prices,” Fray said.
She was speaking at a news conference set up by a local member of Congress, U.S. Representative Debbie Wasserman-Schultz of Weston.
Wasserman-Schultz says the war in Iran has spiked gas prices and many other commodities upward. That may be why we saw long lines for gas at Costco, where prices are currently at least 20 cents cheaper per gallon compared to most gas stations.
“Ironically, the big winners in all of this so far are oil companies and gas producers like Russia and Iran, who now pocket higher prices for every barrel they sell,” the Congresswoman said. “The brutal Iranian regime is a threat, I want to make sure that threat is eliminated, but Trump still has no clear objectives and no exit strategy for this war that he started.”
Wasserman-Schultz pointed out that President Donald Trump recently lifted oil sanctions against Iran.
“This gas crisis is so bad, Trump is funding the enemy we are at war with, it is insane,” she said.
Meanwhile, the president talked about the war Monday, praising the daring rescue of two downed American airmen deep in Iranian territory.
“You don’t mind when the enemy is weak, but that enemy is strong, not so strong as they were about a month ago, in fact, I can tell you they’re not too strong at all in my opinion,” Trump said, flanked by First Lady Melania Trump on one side and someone dressed as the Easter Bunny on the other.
After the White House Easter event, speaking at a news conference, Trump promised a quick end to the conflict.
“We’re doing unbelievably well, well at a level that nobody’s ever seen before, the entire country might be taken out in one night, and that might be tomorrow night,” the president said.
Trump threatened to bomb infrastructure targets in Iran, such as power plants and bridges, unless Iran surrenders. However, it is unclear what would constitute surrender. For example, would it be enough to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to allow oil tankers to move freely again, which was the status quo before the war started? That situation would leave Iran’s regime in power, and its nuclear ambitions intact.
It is clear that the end of this war is still a work in progress.