[benfranklin]

If they are making huge profits because of supply and demand conditions, they are not breaking the law. If a number of them are colluding to create shortages, high prices, etc., then they are breaking the law.

Whatever the economics behind the gas situation, there is ample evidence that it is exacerbated by governments, state and local. While taxes on gas to pay for roads makes logical sense, it is a disproportionate burden on the poor.

Also, government must take a large part of the responsibility for supply problems. It has been decades since a new refinery was built in this country, and the hurricane shut-downs of gulf refineries were a large cause of recent jumps in gas prices. I heard a story on the news during that period about a company (in Arizona?) that was in its 6th or 7th year of working to get permits to build a new refinery.