Plus, it's never just gasoline that goes up. Gasoline, you could just cut back on non-essential miles. But gas goes up, and heating oil follows - and you can't stop paying the oil bill when it's 0 F outside, unless you want to freeze yourself, and your plumbing. Then your electricity rates go up because the fuel oil for the oil-burning plants that backstop your eco-friendly, weather-dependent renewable electric energy when the sun isn't shining and the wind's not blowing, goes up.
And you can bet your bippy that once they jack the tax up, it won't come back down easily.
Seems like a stupid move when the Saudis are trying to hurt our domestic oil production in a price war.
I disagree with him; for the record. Just trying to see his viewpoint. Personally—I think this tax is a great idea. I think the government has two jobs: (1) to build and maintain effective infrastructure for the common good (roads, firefighters, etc.), and (2) to apply pressure to rectify forces where the tragedy of the commons would otherwise apply (global warming, etc.). This is an example of the latter.