I don't pretend to be an expert whatsoever on this, but my feeling is that the biggest reason for the high prices is refining capacity. Close behind is not being able to drill in Alaska and in the restricted areas of the Gulf.

I don't like paying the high price for gasoline anymore than anyone else, I drive a Suburban and my wife drives a Yukon. BUT, if a company is in business to make their shareholders a profit, they should make every dime they can. I really don't have a problem with oil companies making record profits.
High oil prices put many people to work, I think every old well in the East Texas field is being worked on to pump even a few barrels a day. That's a lot of service companies and people with a job. I assume it's the same everywhere in the country.

Also, I don't remember anyone trying to help out the oil companies and small oil businesses in the 1980's when everyone in the oil business was going broke because of LOW oil prices...