It's amazing how people scream about how the high prices make it hard for the poor and middle class to meet their transportation needs, but somehow when the pump price is racked up in the form of taxes, nobody seems to worry about the effect on consumers then.

Keep the government out of it. Not only do they have no frigging clue how to deal with market forces, most of them don't even believe in them.

Let the prices rise naturally. No taxes. No subsidies. No "social engineering."

People will make their own decisions, and alternatives (hybrids, other energy sources) will become marketable. That's how it works.

Politicians hate letting the market work because there's no opportunity for them to ride in on a white horse and save the day by Doing Something About It.