[jakobnev]

But just look at the car. If you doubled or tripled the price of a gallon of gas with tax you double or triple the hit to the budget for gas.

This assumes, (incorrectly) that the poor will continue to choose the same fuel-inefficient cars, and cannot learn to use their car more efficiently.

(Ironically, this very forum is proof of how much fuel can be saved when people are actually trying.)

And increased tax revenue from fuel can be used to offset taxes on the bare necessities of life.