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U.S. President Donald Trump has cribbed many things from former President Richard Nixon, among them tariffs; price controls; and now, apparently, government interference in energy markets.

Soaring energy bills are a concern for any sitting president (see the early 1970s or the mid-2020s), and energy prices are skyrocketing. Gasoline in the United States now averages $4.47 a gallon, but more to the point, diesel is now $6.52 a gallon on average, up from $3.69 from one year ago. That is absolutely hammering truckers and farmers. 

U.S. President Donald Trump has cribbed many things from former President Richard Nixon, among them tariffs; price controls; and now, apparently, government interference in energy markets.

Soaring energy bills are a concern for any sitting president (see the early 1970s or the mid-2020s), and energy prices are skyrocketing. Gasoline in the United States now averages $4.47 a gallon, but more to the point, diesel is now $6.52 a gallon on average, up from $3.69 from one year ago. That is absolutely hammering truckers and farmers. 

That is why there is now a stampede on Capitol Hill, seconded by Trump, to curb U.S. exports of diesel fuel, in the hope that the invisible hand, if made visible, will somehow make the market work better. It’s an idea that is both misguided and alarming. In New York City on Wednesday, Trump’s energy........

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