Twitter users went off on a CNN Business article on Friday spinning recently-lowered gas prices in the country as a “$100-a-month raise.”
Fox News reports:
The piece, written by CNN Business senior writer Chris Isidore, argued that since gas prices have dropped from their record average highs, people should view it from the perspective that it’s an “unexpected form of economic stimulus.”
“Next time you stop at a gas station, think of it as a $100-a-month tax cut. Or a maybe $100-a-month raise,” he told readers.
Explaining the cause for joy, he wrote, “Since hitting a record of $5.02 a gallon on June 14, the national average price for regular gas is down $1.10, or 22%, to $3.92, according to AAA. That average has now fallen for 67 consecutive days.”
Isidore then couched that data in terms of household savings. “Since the typical US household uses about 90 gallons of gas a month, the $1.10 drop in prices equals a savings of $98.82.”
Twitter lost it:
CNN just makes it so easy for its critics. This is some next level gaslighting. https://t.co/Xw0TcAEtSn
— Brian Riedl 🧀 🇺🇦 (@Brian_Riedl) August 19, 2022
So it’s not just the White House changing definitions & twisting the narrative.
Americans are still paying far higher gas prices than they should.
Unleash American production, fast track energy infrastructure & stop penalizing the industry with overregulation & higher taxes! https://t.co/9Zz703Ho1x
— Congressman Mike Carey (@RepMikeCarey) August 19, 2022
@chrisidore if your employer slashes your pay $200 but then gives you $100 back are you calling that a raise?
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) August 19, 2022