The problem the government has is that high gas prices, and already ruinously-high gas taxes, are causing a major movement to high-mileage cars. Hybrids fly off the showroom floors as fast as they show up, and there are months-long waiting lists.

"Supply and demand 101."

Good news: gas usage goes down, and supplies last longer. Free market works.

Bad news: tax-per-gallon revenue drops to the state.

Just increase those taxes? Sure. But who is that going to hit hardest in the pocketbook?

George, with his shiny new hybrid that he drives into his high-rise office, or Fred with his ten-year-old car that he drives to the construction site?

Politicians are stupid, but not that stupid.

Making better use of tranportation dollars, like using them for highways and not skimming them off to the general fund or using them for billion-dollar mass transit wet dreams, is another option.