Of the developed western world US has about the lowest gasoline prices, and the lowest tax.
A country that is about 70 % dependent on imported oil should not be in this position.
The Scandinavian countries, supposedly the best place in the world to live by UN reports, Sweden, Finland and Denmark are all relatively dependent on imported oil, gasoline is about US$10.00 /gal. Norway a large exporter of oil has prices equally as high.
Nobody there is complaining of high prices or big price
changes, they accept that if they want/need to drive this is the price.
Even US1.00/gallon tax would pay for the bail outs
quickly.

Hugh,

You are correct about Europe. However, Europe is small and compact.

One of the reasons America is as rich as it is is that oil prices and the prices of oil products is low.

If the USA could import European vehicles from GM, and Ford when oil prices are high we would not be so strangled.

Which brings us to the stranglehold the unions and CAFE have on the American auto industry.

Just went out and bought a low miles per gallon Jeep today. I couldn't resist the give away price. The dealer is going out of business, as is probably the car company.
So, we will drive the 4 wheel drive when it snows in total comfort and safety.
Screw the government and their CAFE crap.

If we need a huge infrastructure-improvement job-creation program to build roads it makes something like screaming sense to fund that with a fuel tax rather than increasing the public debt. That reduces demand for foreign oil imports and improves our roads. Sounds like a win-win to me, especially since the price of fuel is now less than half of what it was six months ago.

Bigger, more comfortable cars are almost universally more desirable by the public and more marketable by the automakers... UNLESS the price of fuel is sky-high, in which case people buy small cars out of necessity, not enthusiasm. Why is the government insisting on forcing the US carmakers to produce cars that people don't want, when that is part of the trouble to begin with? Let them make the cars that people buy, and let them shift strategies in tune to the market. If the market favors smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, guess what? The Detroit Three will build 'em (or import them and re-badge them, whichever is cheaper). I grow less and less tolerant of government interfere-ism, whether it's in the form of CAFE standards or a massive bailout.

It should be noted that a larger percentage of the European prices on gasoline are taxes than the percentage in the U.S.

I'm joining the DAR and got an email from them today about this article. Does Congress really want to mess with that group of ladies? LOL!!

So, we will drive the 4 wheel drive when it snows in total comfort and safety.

I'm sick of everyone--talking heads, Gore-bots, politicians, etc, who think the only reason anyone purchases a big vehicle is ego. Maybe in LA or NYC that's true, but not in the Midwest. And even if it were true, what business is it of theirs if people buy one? None. None whatsoever.

The "car" companies (which sell more pickups than cars) can't sell their gas-guzzlers at a loss today. If they could sell their products at a profit, they wouldn't need bailing out. So what do they care if the the products they sell at a loss are efficient? At least they'll have something ready when gas prices go back up to where they were at the beginning of the year.

Jeff,

They make money on the big iron and lose money on the small stuff.

There is no way gas prices are going to go up to $4 a gallon in the next year. The down turn is world wide. Or hadn't you heard?

I don't expect to see gas prices above $100 a bbl for at least 5 years.