The best cure for high energy prices in the long run is high energy prices in the short run. That means demand reduction today, which unfortunately means some pain and suffering today. Papering it over, literally and figuratively, does not do this. Finally, the federal funds futures market places the odds of a rate hike on Sept. 21 near 80%. That would be the second time the FOMC raised rates after Labor Day in an election year since World War II; the other time was 1980 when the incumbent Jimmy Carter lost to Ronald Reagan