Gasoline

Lately, as gas prices have been inching toward $3.00/gallon, it occurred to me that I have not been hearing about it nearly as much as I did last year when the same thing was happening.

It turns out I am not alone:

A gallon of gas costs an average of $2.68 nationally and is rising -- about the same price as last spring when Democrats on the campaign trail vowed to swiftly ease the pain at the pump if elected.

The Democrats went on to win control of Congress, and the House quickly passed a bill to roll back oil subsidies, a measure leaders trumpeted as "a first step toward a future of energy independence." But months may pass before the Senate considers the bill, and analysts predict gas prices could hit $3 per gallon by summer.

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"We've allowed Exxon's bottom line to take priority over families struggling at the gas pump and the harmful effects of global warming," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat, criticizing Republicans who controlled Congress as favoring oil executives over the public and promising change with new leadership. Mr. Reid made that remark in January when introducing his chamber's version of the bill, to be considered some time this year.