Lawmakers must help stem fuel costs
The first law of economies is "supply and demand:" As demand is increased the supply needs to be increased. The population of the United States has increased over the last 15 years. The economies of China and India have modernized over the past 15 years. Both situations have increased the world needs for oil, natural gas and electric.
China has been actively searching for oil supplies in Africa, in the Gulf off the coast of Cuba and with Socialist states in Latin America. They are building power plants all over China. It's rather amazing the Communist state of China understands the concept of "supply and demand, while our politicians walk around like a bunch of blind mice. They sit and wonder why the price of energies are going up, up and up!
The politicians stage idiotic hearings trying to make themselves look as if they are trying to solve the problem but actually they are the problem.
1. Fifteen years ago a bill to start drilling for oil in ANWAR was vetoed by President Clinton. Ever since any bill to drill in ANWAR has been filibustered by the Democratic Party. If you cannot increase supply, how do you meet demand? The price of a barrel of oil has increased!
2. The oil companies have been blocked from drilling for oil in the Gulf. They wanted to drill 100 to 200 miles off the coast. The state of Florida didn't want to ruin its view. The last time I looked I couldn't see something 100 to 200 miles away. If you cannot increase supply how do you meet demand? The price of a barrel of oil has increased!
3. A new oil refinery has not been built in the United States in 30 years. How can you meet the ever-increasing demand? At this time the United States is importing 10 to 15 percent of gasoline and diesel from other countries. This is unacceptable. The price for gas and diesel has increased!
4. No new nuclear reactors have been built in the United States. Actually they are being closed. While France and Japan increase their use of nuclear power, the U.S. decreases its use. How idiotic is that? The building of new coal-fired plants are blocked The price of electric has increased.
5. Any attempt to increase the supply of natural gas is blocked by the politicians. The price of heating our homes and cooking our food has increased.
Sen. Durbin, during the 2006 election, made a big deal of the price of gas reaching $2.45 a gallon. He stood outside several gas stations and mugged for the cameras. The price of gas has hit $3.55 and diesel has hit $4.20 a gallon. Sen. Durbin has been MIA. Sen. Durbin, what are you going to do to increase the supply of oil? Sen. Durbin, what are you going to do to decrease the price of gas and diesel, natural gas and electric? Sen. Durbin, quit being the problem and come up with some solutions! If not, get out of the way and let someone else try!
William R. Storino
Hainesville