Like I said, by the balls

So I was telling you about the crazy gas price fiasco of late, which as your comments show is not a Wang™-specific issue.

But in Teh Wang™ at least, they're trying to do something about it.

Florida has gasoline - lots of it.

That was the message from Charles Bronson, Florida's agriculture and consumer services commissioner, at a hastily called news conference Friday.

Bronson was seeking to quell a gas panic triggered as Hurricane Ike roared toward Texas and its refineries. On Thursday, the Gulf Coast wholesale price of gasoline traded at around $4.75 a gallon after trading at less than $3 just 72 hours earlier.

As wholesalers started passing the unheard-of hikes to retailers, prices at some Florida gas stations rose 20 cents a gallon overnight. Price-gouging complaints included stations charging up to $5.50 a gallon for regular, Bronson said.

Not far from Bronson's office in the Capitol, plastic bags covered the pumps at independent stations and dozens of cars idled in long lines at larger stations, where drivers were hoping to fill up to avoid another swell in prices.

Bronson said he alerted major oil companies that he intends to obtain their records and look at "every single layer of that process" to see if they are gouging.

"We're going to get to the bottom of all of it," he said. "I can assure you that if anyone has upped the price of fuel to their personal advantage over the public, we are going to take them to court in the fullest extent of the law and fine them accordingly."

Pretty much the point I was making yesterday. Gas stations can't raise prices in anticipation of higher wholesale prices. If they do, they're breaking state law. And it's nice to see that the state plans to enforce that law.

Of course, it doesn't mitigate the main problem, that many Republicans are profiting from the gas crisis and taking advantage of both consumers and the weather to line their own pockets. But at least we have our very own Charles Bronson looking into whether the oil companies have a Death Wish. (groan)

Meanwhile, if you see evidence of price gouging in Florida, you can call (800) 435-7352 to report it. And I hope you do -- I certainly will.