Letters

Who should be blamed (or not) for big oil's big profits

Regarding the July 28 article, "Where will big oil's big profits go": I am so tired of seeing oil companies pushing for more drilling of a resource we have little of, and also a wasting of precious revenues from the American citizens on projects that do nothing to solve the long-term problems preventing US national energy security. We tout our country as being able to create new technological achievements, and yet our foreign competitors are doing much more to be energy efficient than we are. Why can't a country as great as ours use our resources and our government to come up with real solutions?

It is because we only have an interest in solutions if there is money to be made. Our Big Three carmakers could have led the world in making cars that use less or no gas and get more mileage. Instead, we play catch-up with Honda, Toyota, and others. The Big Three then wonder why they are failing. Oil companies continue to buy up any innovation that would lessen their control over energy policy. It is time to force the carmakers to do what they won't voluntarily do. For national security's sake, have our government enact laws that say carmakers must have all cars run on 50 percent less gasoline.
Brian Lapointe
Springfield, Mass.

Regarding the July 28 article on big oil profits: American oil companies should be proud of the record profits they earn through honest and productive work. Oil companies are in business to make as big a profit as they are able to – and they have an obligation to their shareholders to do exactly that. A company's right to the pursuit of profit – like an individual's right to the pursuit of happiness – is essential to America's freedom, greatness, and prosperity. Just as there can never be an "excessive" or "obscene" amount of personal happiness, there can never be an "excessive" or "obscene" amount of profits.
David Holcberg
Ayn Rand Institute
Irvine, Calif.

In response to the July 28 article on big oil profits, why don't people lay the blame for the huge oil profits at the feet of those who cause them, the politicians? Not allowing drilling in certain states or not allowing oil companies to drill offshore is what is causing all of the oil problems. Thus, the Washington elite need to open all land up to drilling, including that off the shores of California and Florida. Oil companies should be allowed to charge fees in states that will not allow them to drill as much as in states such as Texas, where you can drill anywhere you want.
Joe Davis
DeKalb, Texas

The July 31 article, "Britons debate their lawmakers' 11-week holiday," brings to mind the saying that the best government is one that isn't sitting (i.e. one that's not in session).

The longer that lawmakers sit, it seems, the more damage they do to the constituents they purport to represent, and the greater the opportunities that arise for graft and corruption to ensue.

With so many laws on the books already failing to be enforced, the addition of yet greater legislative interferences with the natural order of mankind led this reader to the conclusion that lawmakers should perhaps double their holiday time away from their duties.

With parliamentary legislatures being overtly out of touch with their constituents' needs, less time in session would probably be a relief to most constituents.
Bernard I. Turnoy
Chicago

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