Discussion of price @ pump misses reality but is convenient for scoring cheap political and talking points; Also, with that said, the inflation-adjusted pump price has remained largely constant (give or take small fluctuations) for the better part of 40 years .
For serious discussion, the
Real cost of gas, including tax breaks/direct corporate subsidies, easements and extraction rights carveouts, use of the military as subsidization/protection of major production regions, negative environmental externalities, etc is much more like $15 per gallon than $3.00 per gallon.
