In the June 25 column “Hail To The Chief,” Hammer notes that gas prices are “closing in on $5 per gallon.” This, along with a list of other facts, are offered as evidence of the epic failure of the Bush presidency. Hammer’s take on the Bush presidency is right on. I will heartily celebrate its end. However, if we are to tally the current price of gas on the Bush account, then I would say good for W. By pushing gas in the direction of $5 a gallon, then Bush has accomplished what no president or Congress has been able to do in over 40 years, namely get the citizenry of this country to cut back on their use of gasoline, increase the use of public transit and kill off the market for gas guzzling monsters from Detroit. Of course, attributing gasoline prices to Bush policies is way off the mark. Gas prices are where they are because of market forces. Supply, demand, speculation and a weak dollar are the main reasons gas prices are where they are.

To be sure, the price of gasoline hits the less well-off in our society harder than the affluent. The appropriate response to which is to redirect tax policy back to a progressive, equitable balance and away from the regressive tilt to the super rich. That way the less well-off will end up with more dollars in their pockets, which if they choose to spend it on gasoline they will be better able to afford it. And those prospective Hummer buyers with nothing better to do with their money than blow it on filling up their gas guzzlers can knock themselves out. Maybe when gasoline hits $10 a gallon they will get the hint.

If you want to reduce dependence on oil, foreign or otherwise, reduce global warming emissions, and support alternative energy source development, $5 a gallon gas is a good thing. If that is the Bush legacy, inadvertent I am sure, then history may indeed cut W. some slack.