A Modest Proposal

It's not often that a foreigner is able to solve an American political problem in one fell swoop. However, I have a modest proposal that will be supported by all sides in the current political cat fight over gasoline prices, taxation, fuel efficiencies, CAFE standards, SUVs and all the rest. No, it won't solve the problems of unrequited love nor bring peace to the planet. Others are working on that, like the USMC ( and one should go here to donate and support ).
This plan will being together formerly irreconcileable parties, oil companies and greens, Democrats and Republicans, SUV owners and Naderites, and will do so with startling simplicity.
You may recall that Senator Kerry recently called for a raise in the Federal gasoline tax ? Yes, the plan will do this.
You may not wish to pay more to fill your tank. Yes, the plan will leave that the same.
You may want to increase gas prices to reduce consumption, and to reduce dependence upon foreign oil, or to continue to ban drilling in the ANWR. The plan will do this.
You may think that the CAFE standards should become more restrictive, like Senators McCain, Kerry and Hollings back in 2002.
You may think that car manufacturers should not have to make huge investments to meet those standards.
Fear not, all of these seeming contradictions are resolved within the plan.
Currently a gallon of gas in the US is made up of 8 pints of 16 US fluid ounces each. A US fluid ounce is 1.04 UK fluid ounces. And there are 20 such fluid ounces to a UK pint, and 8 pints to a UK gallon. So one UK gallon is 1.2 US gallons.
So the proposal is to measure gasoline in the US in UK gallons.
The price per gallon of fuel goes up. Good.
The Federal tax per gallon goes up by 20 %. Good.
Tax revenues are unchanged. Good.
The cost of a tank of gas is unchanged. Good.
Gas consumption in the US is reduced by 20 % when measured in gallons. Good.
Reliance on foreign oil as measured in gallons is reduced by 20%. Good.
CAFE standards are measured in miles per gallon. All cars now do 20 % more miles per gallon. Good.
All SUVs now meet the stricter CAFE regulations. Good.

The cost ? A trivial change to the software of a gas pump.

Who will actually push such a plan ? I have high hopes for this guy as the above " UK gallon" does not actually exist. It's an Imperial gallon.

Some will carp that this doesn't actually solve anything, that there's been no real change, that a hand waving redefinition of units does nothing to resolve our real and immediate problems and that it is, in fact, all just smoke and mirrors.

Awww, c'mon guys. Don't you know anything about politics ?