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The Tampa Tribune

Published: July 12, 2008

Demand Is Worldwide

U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor's article "Declaring Independence From Big Oil" (Other Views, July 4) is typical of politicians who like to pose as economists when in fact they are not. She is a typical lawyer who takes license to pose as an expert on energy and oil. Her article looks like party boiler plate. As the chief economist for the Foundation for Fiscal Reform, Inc. in Palm Harbor, I warn our readers nationwide each week of the dangers of politicians.

She neglected to mention that oil is a worldwide commodity and that other industries are more profitable percentage-wise than oil. Using scare tactics to put fear in people's minds about potential beach pollution is standard for a politician. Worldwide demand is outstripping supply. She and her associates are exacerbating the matter by restricting drilling.

RONALD F. NELSON

Palm Harbor

People Favor Drilling

It's obvious to me that Rep. Kathy Castor and her Democrat Party are oblivious to the wishes of their constituents.

Instead of solutions to $4-plus-per-gallon gasoline, she attempts to pin the blame on the current administration, automobile manufacturers and free-market speculators for increasing prices. She and her peers complain that drilling 70-plus miles off the Florida coast will affect tourism and fishing.

Louisiana has the largest fishery on the Gulf coast, the greatest number of active drilling rigs in the Gulf of Mexico and hasn't experienced any detrimental effects except producing a needed commodity (oil), high-paying jobs and tasty shrimp and fish that congregate around the rigs.

It might also behoove Castor to look at the most recent national polls that suggest that 60 percent of people polled by Gallup approve of Florida offshore drilling and that she and the rest of her Congressional colleagues have a 12 percent approval rating.

MARK R. QUIGLEY

Tampa

Clinging To Old Cliches

Those of us who lived through the 1970s oil crisis and worked to find solutions understand that only an energy-independent country will have the resources to develop alternative energy sources. So let's start by expanding our electric power generation: nuclear, it is clean and safe and coal; we know how to burn it cleanly.

In the '70s we learned that this country has enough coal to meet our needs for a long time after oil is gone. Other sources are solar cells and wind-driven generators, although they may not work on a cloudy day or a calm one.

Let's use our oil and gas, with millions of internal combustion engines on all kind of vehicles; we are going to need that fuel for many years to come.

By clinging to old cliches, Castor shows she does not understand the pain of the average American.

ALBERTO J. SANCHEZ

Tampa

Part Of The Problem

Our socialist congresswoman, Kathy Castor, opposes drilling, not only beyond the horizon in the Gulf, but also in the wasteland known as ANWAR.

Using our own oil would at least keep us from continuing to fund terrorists. Castor offers no solutions beyond use less and wait for new technology. We all want new, clean technology that will help us use less oil.

Unfortunately, Castor and the party she kneels before is also against nuclear power which would be a huge step forward toward energy independence. I guess she does not realize that most of her favorite socialist states currently utilize nuclear energy on a wide scale.

GREG SOBIL

Tampa

An Elitist Approach

Recycling, increasing gas mileage, carpooling, mass transit - it all sounds good. When they become viable, I might even use them. That is, more than I already use them.

On July 4, I read my Constitution. I missed the part that read, "We the elitist" can tell the people how to live and pursue happiness.

K. WAYNE RAGSDALE JR.

Lutz

Steps We Can Take

Does Big Oil hold our country hostage as Rep. Castor purports? No. This is a global economy in case she has missed Economics 101. Can we get our cars to 35-plus miles per gallon as in Japan? Sure - we have many right now. But, how many Americans elected to buy them over the last 10 years? "Big Oil" did not make us buy SUVs and other cars we personally deemed safer for our families than the 1,500-pound micro-car available in Japan.

To change the oil market you have to change the paradigm. Rep. Castor's suggestions, while well-meaning, will have no impact on the global market. To influence the global market you must address issues that impact that market place: Pass legislation allowing drilling in ANWAR; pass legislation allowing drilling off Florida and California; allow harvesting of oil shale; permit the construction of new oil refineries; permit construction of nuclear plants; invest $1 billion a year over the next decade on realistic alternative energies; and bring back tax credits for alternative energy purchases.

These suggestions go to the heart of that market place and, if enacted and believed by the market, will drive the current cost down, setting the stage for our transition to an economy based on something other than oil. We need to act now or prepare ourselves for $7-a-gallon gasoline by summer 2009.

MARK NIXON

Seffner

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