It would be a lot more of a free market if there wasn't a hammerlock on new drilling for oil and gas pretty much anywhere in the U.S. And it isn't just the wacko environmentalists, either. Jeb Bush, of all people, put the kibosh on drilling in the Gulf.

I've noticed one of those "whatever Bush does is wrong" oddities in this regard. Half the time Bush is "conspiring" to lower oil prices with OPEC, the other half of the time he's refusing to "jawbone" OPEC to bring prices down.

And remember, high gas prices will do more to bring on alternatives to the standard automobile engine than fifty government research programs. My wife is champing at the bit for the hybrid Highlander due out next year.