high gas prices

With gas prices going up daily the Republicans are using this as an attack against President Obama. Right now Drudge is pushing an article talking about $6 a gallon gas in Florida as his main story. The story does explain the cause of the price increases, however:

One reason for the high prices is the conflict with Iran over the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has threatened to disrupt oil shipments through the waterway due to the European Union sanctions leveled against the country over its nuclear program, causing the price of crude to skyrocket. Trading on a barrel of crude today is a little over $106.

Another reason for the high gas prices: positive economic news. The drop in the unemployment rate and improved housing market numbers have caused gas and oil prices to rise.

Now reading those two problems, I want to pose these two questions to the Republicans out there: