To the editor:

Cory Smith quotes AAA Executive President James Hanni in his article “Gasoline costs pinch consumers’ wallets,” (Journal-World, March 8): “Events overseas and the financial markets are just not breaking in the favor of the American consumer’s visit to the gas pump.” No, rather, the American consumer will continue to be duped by our government and politicians like Nancy Pelosi and her House Bill 5351, which, as Jeff Mazzella reported in his publication, Center for Individual Freedom, gives “a huge tax break to that America-hating dictator Hugo Chavez” and “will jack up the prices that you and I pay at the pump for gasoline through the imposition of an $18 billion tax increase!”

Is there anyone else out there who is sick and tired of being gouged? Gasoline consumers simply see no choice about prices. As long as that is the case, prices will keep going up. Is there anyone out there who does not see more than a coincidence that gasoline prices climb between Memorial Day and Labor Day when travel increases? Wake up America! You will continue to be victims until you speak up and protest. Quit providing profits to the oil companies and the CEOs!

Barbara Paris,

Lawrence