Heresy

My ultra-conservative friend (whom I've mentioned several time before) and I share a common view on exactly one topic: gas tax.

Both of us believe that if the U.S. is to be seriously committed to "energy independence", a stiff tax-at-the-pump on gasoline is required.

We've recently experienced the effect of high prices: demand goes down!
(Somehow this shouldn't be a surprise, but it is.)

How to reduce demand? Increase the price.

Yes, this is a horribly regressive tax.
BUT: it has a desired effect!... Well, actually two (2) desired effects:

1. Reduces demand for gasoline
2. Increases government revenue

Please don't hate me!

Artificially make gas cost $5/gal. The difference between $5/gal and market price is pure "profit" to the government.
I note that Europeans have been living with something more than this for years - and somehow they've managed to survive with better overall societal health than us!
(I note that the U.S. lags the European Union in infant mortality on both the CIA World Factbook and U.N. Population Division rankings.)

On this issue at least, I am a progressive heretic.