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‘Drives me absolutely insane’: Sticker shock at the pump as gas prices up over 50% since Biden took office

Americans filling their tanks up at a gas station in Alexandria, Virginia, reacted to gas prices rising over 50% since January 2021 when President Biden took office.

Rising gas prices under President Biden's watch have led some Americans to face "painful" and "ridiculous" receipts at the pump, drivers at a Virginia gas station told Fox News.

"There's no saving," Donovan said, adding that the cost is "killing" his bottom line. "Gas price has to go back down in order for everybody to really maintain." 

"Paychecks are not rising," the Virginian said. "It takes about two or three checks to cover all the bills instead of just one." 

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But one Virginia woman said she's used to the high costs. 

"I don't really feel it honestly," she said. "Obviously, nobody wants to pay so much for it, but we need it."

On Wednesday, gas prices were over 50% higher than when Biden was inaugurated, according to AAA. The national average for a gallon of gas was nearly $3.62, up from $2.39 on Jan. 20, 2021, when the president was sworn in.

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"That's more money out of the pocket that I can be spending on groceries and other everyday items that I need," Davis, of Washington, D.C., said. "You definitely feel it."

A Florida man said he can afford the price surges but knows many families are struggling. The cost of filling up his Chevrolet Suburban "drives me absolutely insane," he added.

"I do fairly well in business, and I just feel for all the people who are trying to make ends meet," he said. "I can make it work, though it's painful, but I don't know how the young family of four gets along. Not just with this inflation, but with all inflation."

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Inflation has cooled from a 40-year high of 9.1% in June 2022, but has remained persistent, with prices climbing 3.5% year-over-year in March, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The national average for a gallon of gas has also dropped from its June 2022 peak when it surpassed $5, but that's been rising steadily since March, according to AAA.

On March 11, the White House said "costs have fallen for everyday purchases from a gallon of gas to a gallon of milk," but several Americans told Fox News they hadn't noticed lower prices.

"Prices are still super high," Donovan said. "It hasn't gone down. They're just trying to pull wool over the eyes."

One Virginia woman said she hasn't felt the pain at the pump as much, but her grocery bills are "ridiculous." 

"They're lying," she said. "Where is it down?"

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The cost of several everyday items has dropped from recent peaks, though some are still higher than when Biden entered office, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In March, the average gallon of milk, for example, was $3.89, 43 cents higher than in January 2021. The price of eggs was up to nearly $3, an increase of more than $1.50.

David, a lifelong Washingtonian, said gas prices and other surging costs are "ridiculous." He hopes the 2024 election will bring out a candidate willing to work for the people and lower skyrocketing prices.

"We have to do something," David said. "There's more people who are in the shelters, in the streets, because they can't afford it."

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"Everybody who's come in the White House has some accountability," he said. "I'm praying that things will turn around as we go into a new season of who's in the seat of power in the nation's capital."

The White House did not immediately provide comment.

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