How gas prices became a lightning rod for voter anger ahead of the US midterms

On every major road across America, in cities and towns, on highways to the mountains, the parks and the beaches, there are gas stations – 196,000 stations and retail outlets.

And since February 28, those gas stations have been sending a message to the 242 million Americans with registered driver licenses that the cost of filling up their tanks has exploded, and it’s thanks to President Donald Trump’s decision to attack Iran over its nuclear program and sponsorship of terrorism worldwide.

It hurts.

Amid a cost of living crisis that is seeing the cost of groceries, utilities and other essentials skyrocket, more than 50% of Americans are also having a tough time filling their tanks.

Given the high visibility and ubiquity of the shocking prices for gas, its cost per gallon is literally the poster child of the affordability crisis.

And there are aftershocks.

More than 70% of all freight goods in the United States are transported by trucks, and more than 70% of trucks use diesel fuel.

At the heart of the affordability crisis afflicting American households is inflation – and everything delivered by trucks carries an inflation bump.

But every other component of affordability pressures adds to the misery of higher prices and costs on food, fuel, housing, payments on debt, mortgages and loans.

Trump is ultra-sensitive – to a degree – on the cost of petrol.

He remembers the Arab oil embargo of 1973-74 in the wake of the Yom Kippur War.

Oil prices quadrupled.

There were shortages and rationing.

Gas stations that had supply were swamped by lines of cars awaiting the bowser.