The people must solve oil dilemma

We all feel and see the impact of the high price of gas.

Most of our discretionary income is being taken from us by the oil companies

We all believe someone will correct this issue and we, as individuals, are powerless.

The oil companies certainly don't agree there is a problem.

Their profits are highest in the world's business history.

The stockholders and the oil producing countries, a small minority of the world's population, have no reason to invest their cash reserves for exploration and building refineries to reduce their profits and the price of oil.

Our current dilemma is another of many warnings that there is a need for us to address the issue of our oil consumption. We the people need to reduce our use of oil.

Use our buying influence to induce auto manufacturers to make more fuel-efficient cars.

Take the initiative to contact our government representatives to insist action be taken to regulate oil companies' profits.

Convert oil companies' tax credits to fines for gouging.

We the people need to use the power of our purchasing to curtail spending on plastic and other products from China, which is competing for the oil we want and, innocently taking our jobs too.

These may be simplistic suggestions, but there are large oil resources under our U.S. soil.

Why are we not tapping our own resources?

We are an innovative country of talented people.

We the people have the power to resolve this situation and influence others to assist.

We need to grow our way to resolve this issue in the spirit of the great country we are. We must not stand by passively expecting the next president to fix this situation.

We must insist our elected officials enact effective changes now.

Bob Genc

Schaumburg