Like many others I was shocked the other day to see gas jump up 25 cents in one day. Of course we start writing it off as “increased demand”, something we hear every year at this time. Well it looks like the Republicans also noticed the increase and now are going to use it for their political points:

Republicans believe that rising gas prices are their trump card against a Democratic-sponsored climate change bill.

The GOP is struggling to regain footing after two successive electoral blowouts, but party leaders are relishing an opportunity to debate what they call a “national energy tax.”

The Democrats’ plan of moving a cap-and-trade bill this summer plays into GOP hands because as the cost of gasoline spikes, so does the public’s awareness of energy prices, Republican leadership aides say.

Yes – use outrage at the pump to further a political agenda. This is so Republican of them. But it also makes you wonder if the gas companies won’t play along. Will they keep inflating prices to try and kill environmental legislation? Perhaps a good pre-emptive attack on this will be for Congress to send out a warning shot. Let the gas companies know that they are being closely monitored and any sign of trying to inflate prices will be answered.

Something else this makes me think about is food prices. Last year when we had $4.00+ a gallon prices we saw our food prices skyrocket. Rightfully so they claimed it was from the high price of gas. But since then we seen the price of gas fall more then 1/2, yet the prices at the grocer are still at 2008 levels. So will they use this gas prices increase to jack their prices up again, even though they should still be good from last years increase? I wouldn’t doubt it, and Congress should send the same warning shot to these people also.