WASHINGTON (Reuters)-President Barack Obama on Tuesday called on Congress to immediately tax breaks for oil and gas companies, which to deflect public anger over high gasoline prices that his popularity among voters is hurt.
US gasoline prices have become a highly charged political issue after pushing to $ 4 per gallon at national level, and higher in some cities, spurred by the rising of the world price of crude oil amid the turmoil in the Middle East and North Africa.
The President, in a letter to Congressional leaders released by the White House, praised what he called bipartisan support for the conclusion of the tax advantages.
But Republicans who feel rising gas prices help them can defeat Obama in the 2012 election, said it would "raise taxes and increase the price at the pump.
This opposition to the Obama approach appeared in conflict with a signal of openness of the top Republican in the House of representatives, John Boehner speaker, on Monday.
Some analysts energy also appeared unimpressed by Obama the last step.
"Obama has said that no there is no silver bullet to help push the gasoline prices in the short term, but now it seems that he is grasping at straws in the last couple of days to find to do the trick, "said Matt Smith, an analyst at energy Summit in Kentucky.
White House economic adviser Gene Sperling claimed that billions of dollars used for subsidizing oil and gas companies instead, can be used to help reduce a ballooning Us deficit.
"In this type of tax time, you have to wonder if that $ 4 billion is worth taxpayers ' expenditure," he said, "compared with maybe some of that deficit reduction, and some of the ... in the areas that we could to a clearer and cleaner and safer energy future."
U.s. Attorney General Eric Holder, meanwhile, told reporters that he saw a number of "disturbing" things in the energy markets. He said that this is the formation of a task force unveiled last week to consider possible fraud and manipulation of gasoline prices supported.
"There are at least a few things that I think worrying and I think we will look at those," holder told reporters when asked whether he believed that people were illegally manipulating the market. He refused to identify his concerns.
A Washington Post-ABC News poll on Tuesday found that 71 percent of those polled said gasoline prices were causing them severe financial difficulties, while 55% of the way Obama rejected was treatment of his job as President.
The White House rejected suggestions the letter Obama is designed to deflect gas price ire of the President and the direction of oil companies, which has repeatedly noted huge profits have made and continue to enjoy tax subsidies.
"We do not see this as a matter of electoral politics in 18 months," White House press secretary Jay Carney said.
BACKTRACKING BOEHNER?
Obama, repeating a line he repeatedly has used in his two annual budget proposals, said more than $ 4 billion saved by closing the tax breaks could be invested in clean energy that would help to U.S. dependence on foreign oil.
In a nod to the economic fears that many Americans feel surrounded by the still high u.s. unemployment remain--that is sure to weigh heavily on his hopes for re-election in 2012--Obama energy companies associated with recovery of the country.
"If sustained, these high prices have the potential to slow down the pace of the growth of our economy is currently precisely when we should be accelerated," Obama said in the letter.
He has repeatedly proposed diverting revenue saved from the close of the fiscal advantages for clean energy investments, and points out that the issue as part of his response to fuel prices.
Boehner said Monday that Congress could look at billions of dollars in tax subsidies to oil companies cut. Obama pounced on this as welcome proof of bipartisan support.
"I was encouraged that speaker Boehner openness on abolishing these tax subsidies for the oil and gas industry expressed yesterday. Our political system has for too long ignored and avoided this important step, and I hope we can come together in a bipartisan way to get it done, "said Obama.
However, a spokesman for Boehner said that the Republican leader had simply said that he would look at the facts.
"The speaker wants the u.s. energy supply increase and our dependence on foreign oil to reduce, and he is only interested in reforms that actually lower energy costs and American jobs," said Brendan Buck. "Unfortunately, what the President has proposed would simply raise taxes and increase the price at the pump.
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