April 25, 2012, 11:29 AM

Before I got involved in politics, I taught high school science and math. I don’t think a student ever tried to tell me, “My dog ate my homework.” But if one did, I think I would have called his or her parents to make sure the family actually owned a dog. If you’re going to make excuses, at least make them plausible.

This week at the White House, President Obama announced a new proposal to stop manipulation of the international oil market. He’s calling on Congress to pass legislation and spend an additional $52 million to enforce regulations.