abuse tax
A tariff we pay to the State or Federal government to recompense them for abusing us.
I can at least partially understand levying an abuse tax on truly "optional" abuse-items like tobacco or alcohol, but why charge it on gasoline? That's a necessary commodity to merely get around, and besides, it's not as if we aren't TRYING to use other fuels and/or forms of motive-power --- many people are trying to promote "green" forms of transportation like bicycles, electric vehicles, ethanol, etc., but the powers-that-be are actively squelching the development of such technology. Why, even GM itself crushed its own EV1 electric cars that people ALREADY WERE USING AND LOVED... what kinda convoluted nonsense does THAT make??!?!