The politicians can get away with it because large numbers of people do not even know they are paying a tax on gas. They want the money so they can spend on constituent favors (money for hiking trails, research money, highway improvement or construction, etc. etc. etc. and on and on and on sd infinatum) as well as special interests who support their campaigns. It is all about getting re-elected. We are all a cause of the financial collapse, not just the politicians.