[Big Dave]

A tax does reduce demand by making consumers poorer overall. That has the same effect as high prices.

Politicians that raise taxes in a recession will roundly desrve to be thrown out of office.

You could make some case for taxes used to pay for new energy infrastructure, but the problem is that no matter what that infrastructure might be - nukes, wind farms, oil refineries, or whatever - some wackos will use legal delaying tactic to forestall new energy infrastructure from going into service. We may find the necessary permits taking more than a decade to clear, but the taxation would mindlessly go on. Therefore I am totally opposed to any increase in taxation of any type for any reason.

What alternatives are out there for oil? Nuclear and wind power will not run my truck.