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Letters To The Editor

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 1, 2008

Forcing Alternatives

Regarding "OPEC Gets A Pass On Antitrust Laws" (Other Views, June 25):

A very informative article but for one shortcoming: with the blossoming of so many industrialized nations - China, Russia, Japan and Europe etc. - demanding fuel, OPEC no longer needs to sell to the United States.

I believe OPEC can also see the writing on the wall of more nuclear power plants supplying cheap power to innovative and environmentally friendly electric cars and trucks and passing of this technology to the world.

So grab all you can while you can, like the goose and the golden egg. Maybe someday the oil-producing nations will wish they had been more responsible before they forced the world to find alternatives. I hope I live to see it.

JOHN MANNONE

Lutz

Oil Rumors Abound

One can always count on the fact that in a crisis, misinformation and urban legends will abound. One recent letter to the editor repeats the old canard that Alaskan oil is being exported to Asia.

In 1995 Congress passed legislation effectively ending restrictions on the export of Alaskan oil contained in the Trans Alaska Pipeline Authorization Act of 1973. From 1996 until 2000 approximately 5 to 7 percent of Alaskan crude was exported to Asia with South Korea getting approximately half the total and China and Japan the bulk of the rest. Since 2000, however, voluntary efforts have led to all Alaskan crude being shipped to the U.S.

It goes without saying that one should be very cautious about accepting as fact many of the claims that are circulating currently.

MARC REBHUN

Valrico

Wrong People To Blame

Regarding "Speculators Deflect Blame For Oil Prices" (Business, June 25):

Congress is seeking to blame institutional investors for the rise in commodities prices. These investors are reacting to the market and attempting to increase investment returns as a fiduciary duty to their clients. Congress should be looking inward for the real blame.

It is their outrageous spending habits and the Federal Reserve Board's funding of those habits that have increased the number of dollars worldwide and caused a bubble in commodities prices. Only by addressing their own issues will Congress solve the problem, not by blaming others.

BARRY MANN

Tampa

They're Both Right

Those blaming the shortage of oil and others fingering speculators for high prices of gas at the pump are both right.

As long as the United States refuses to increase domestic production via drilling its own resources, adding nuclear power plants and developing liquefied coal, foreign petroleum producers are free to set any price they wish for a barrel of oil. Consequently, speculators bet that the price will continue to rise and add their "bubble" on top of a normal market price.

Once the United States announces it will embark on a bold, broad-based energy program, speculators will dump their holdings and thus lead to a rapid decrease at the pump. Unfortunately, our Congress has not yet learned that shortages increase prices and abundance drops them.

DAN UFFNER

Sun City Center

OPEC Took Notice

If you noticed, when John McCain and President Bush called for offshore areas to open to oil and gas drilling, OPEC had a special meeting to pump more oil to help the need for - wink-wink - global relief. OPEC panicked!

They don't want us to drill because they will lose control of the market and the USA's economy. It's psychology!

NICK SIGGELAKIS

Sarasota

Drilling Can Only Help

Over five years ago we were told of our need for energy. The Democrats as well as radicals on the environment said no to drilling and other energy resources. It's strange that those who don't want to send jobs overseas are satisfied to put ourselves in jeopardy to radical nations who produce our energy lifeline.

Should our voided wells be producing now, every American would benefit from the jobs, wealth, supply and security they would produce.

We are being held hostage by governments who sell to the highest bidder and could shut us off on a moment's notice. All this while watching our jobs, economy, inflation, auto and airline business come to the brink of disaster.

Still, there are holdouts who do not see the hurt now upon us.

Keep searching for alternatives, but our automobiles and transportation system now run on gas, and every barrel we can produce benefits us many times over.

GLENN CRIBBS

Lakeland

Return The Favor

It'll take several years for the United States to become less dependent on foreign oil.

While we're working on it, why not ask Kuwait to pump more oil in order to significantly lower our oil price. After all, did we not save them from Iraqi invasion?

ALEJANDRO SOO

Zephyrhills

Just More Of The Same

I am disheartened that neither of the candidates running for office is offering "real" change where it is needed - in the American pocketbooks.

Neither of the two candidates offers long-term real solutions to the current energy crisis that is hurting each and every American.

There is no end in sight and no "real" solutions being offered. Both Obama and McCain are promising change, but real change would be solving the economic problems the country is experiencing due to poor U.S. energy policies. But, both are offering more of the same, just packaged differently.

HUGH SULLIVAN

Tampa

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