I think that gasoline diluted with ethanol is one of the most pervasive examples of how the wealth has been stolen from us.
There are multiple ways to view it, but the simplest way to think of it is that folks spend more currency for less gasoline at the pump.
The price of gasoline changing doesn't matter if it keeps getting diluted. The real price of gasoline is the 100% pure stuff. Bucc-ee's tends to have it for less than $4/gal, but most stations sell it for $4/gal and up. Plus, it's an effort to find it. Most gas stations sell only adulterated gasoline.
Just my two cents.
First one for me was a 2003 VW jetta diesel 6 speed.
I could 'hypermile' (remember those days?) and get around 70-75 as reported by the car over a 30 mile trip. If I was in enough of a hurry to get a speeding ticket, I got around 40.