Suddenly, the price of gas is on the frontest of political front burners. And simmering.

Put aside the fact that prices have been more or less this high for several years — VDB has argued more than once that voting oilmen into the White house is essentially voting for higher prices at the pump.

For whatever reason, it is April, gas is at 3$ a gallon, and the People are pissed.

And so GOP lawmakers, already anxious about losing their majority, have begun to crank up some appropriate political theater. Suddenly, Bush is calling for higher mileage standards. And Dennis Hastert is doing photo-ops in hydrogen-powered vehicles.

So how to see through the smoke-and-mirrors? Keep your eye on the hand with the quarter, my friends. Two photos for you today, to make things easier.

The first comes from the Associated Press, who captured the lithe and graceful Dennis Hastert leaving the vehicle marked “Hydrogen” and sliding back into his SUV after the photo-op:

And lest you think that we’ve forgotten the maxim about all politics — including the politics of gas — being local, we have this gem from Bradford, roving VDB-cameraman.

It shows a Hummer — a vehicle just smaller than an ocean liner — with the inevitable Tarrant For Senate sticker fondly applied to the bumper:

Believe your eyes, my friends, not your ears. Major props to Bradford and the oft-maligned folks at the AP. These are absolutely classic.