The public is concerned that rising gas prices will hurt them financially.

Outlook Staff Editorial

It is time. Time to let Congress know that big corporations like Exxon-Mobil cannot continue to have record setting profits as gas hits $3 per gallon across the nation. Recently, the media has taken this story and blown it up. The public is concerned that rising gas prices will hurt them financially. People do not like hearing answers to this problem because those answers do nothing to change the immediate situation. President Bush suggests that ethanol fuel is the future of energy. Without the proper funding for ethanol, hydrogen cells, vegetable oils and hybrid engines, there will be no progress on the energy crisis. Calls to take immediate action in Washington were greeted with mixed responses from the public. On May 5, The New York Times reported that one of the first ideas to come from Republicans was to give a $100 rebate check to the public on April 27. This obviously did not happen. The idea was based a $500 rebate that the Democrats were going to propose, but the Republicans came up with their version first when Majority Leader Bill Frist had the support of other GOP Senators. First-term Republican Senator John Thune proposed to suspend the 18.4 cent federal tax on gasoline. All of these ideas seem to have been given little thought before the government informed the public. While so many Americans are fretting over the increase in price at the pump, in reality, our wallets are not emptying that quickly. Even if gas increased 20 cents per gallon, it would still only cost us about $200 more per year. Of course, this is not a trend that we want to continue in years to come. Perhaps the bigger question is: why do we drive such gas guzzling cars? Ask yourself, do I really need to take out my Expedition today, or will mom's Honda work just the same? Still, it is important that the government is looking into rising prices now. While it is clear that this issue will not go away overnight, if they take action now, the future will look a lot brighter for Americans. Here are some tips from the Department of Energy on how to beat the high gasoline prices: slow down, stay away from aggressive driving to avoid wasting gas, keep your car well maintained and running smoothly, plan multiple errands, carpool, and keep your car light of bulk weight. Most importantly, both the Department of Energy and the Department of Transportation agree that the public should consider leaving their cars at home and opt for mass transit instead.