ACHTUNG: This is not a “fair and balanced” article. It is an editorial by the editor.

One of the best examples of the worthlessness of our two-party system is the recent banter and debate over gasoline prices.

Both sides, particularly Democrats and Republicans, spend a lot of time blaming each other when gas prices are high or increase, and a lot of time taking credit when they go lower. The truth is neither has any power over the price of gas.

I thought about this today when noticing that paying at the pump in West Michigan involves a cost of $3.59.9 a gallon for unleaded regular. This pleases us, of course, and there are prospects that prices will go even lower later this month. At least that’s what the “experts” have been saying.

I remember all too well not long ago when the price at the pump was climbing, many of Facebook were posting pictures of stickers of President Joe Biden on the pumps declaring, “I did that!” I haven’t seen such funny pictures lately because prices have declined from as high as $4.39 to this $3.59 in less than two months.

It should be noted that Democrats and Trump haters have attempted to apply the “I did that!” false commentary to the price drop.

Let’s go back to the original shocking gas price explosions of 1973. So many believed, falsely, that the unpleasantness was the result of an energy crisis. We even were saddled with a 55 mph speed limit and told to dial down to 68 degrees temperature in our homes by a Republican president, Richard Nixon.

History now teaches us that it was the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973 that caused the situation, though it probably was a good idea to drive 55 and dial down to 68. We don’t do that any more.

To be sure, there are those who maintain that a president supporting “drill, baby, drill” campaigns would have a positive effect or a president lessening regulations would ease our pain.

But I insist that none of us, not even the president, can control gas prices. We are at the mercy of other forces, such as a war between Russia and Ukraine and the politics of Middle Eastern nations such as Saudi Arabia.

I learned two decades ago that gas prices all go up at the same time, and “there ain’t nothing we can do about it.” They go down slowly and at different rates, but then shoot up on virtually the same day in the entire region.

This leads me to support weaning the United States from its dependence on oil and on countries whose leaders really don’t like us. And who will provide solutions? Not Republicans nor Democrats.