Rather than proposing a forward-looking energy initiative, House Republicans continue to push Big Oil's tired old ideas, ideas that will do absolutely nothing to lower gas prices for the American consumer.

We've passed an energy bill in the House, to help us be less reliant upon foreign oil so we can get gas prices down. But nothing happens in the Senate.

If gas prices go up, the consumer is going to be a little tighter than they were.

Gas prices have a significant impact on the consumer psyche. These lower prices should be a boon to U.S. retailers ahead of the holiday crunch.

I continue to believe that the effects of higher gas prices on the consumer are overestimated. Most of the important measures of discretionary spending such as furniture, lawn and garden and food sales held up nicely.

The reason gas prices are so high is because the oil is in Texas and Oklahoma and all the dipsticks are in Washington.