I agree, KenG
I hate paying through the nose at the gas pump just like everyone else.
But higher prices are the only?/best?/quickest? way to begin weening us (at least the vast majority of people in the US) off oil, especially foreign OPEC oil. The higher that gas prices go, the better other alternatives look (to investors, manufacturers, and to customers). Hybrids would not have come even this far had it not been for (perceived) high gas prices. Now, PHEV vehicles and EV are soon to be available.
I've at least done
something about it (HCH2), as will others as their "pain at the pump" becomes more and more unbearable.