Reader Responses

Could we get a new refinery here in the United States please?

We haven't had a new one since the '70s. The price of go juice is going up so fast those lenders, who were "reeling from the mortgage debacle," should be desperate to finance a project that looks like a rock solid money maker.

Maybe a little increase in fuel production capacity might help us little guys until nuclear fusion power plants and cheap fuel cells are commonplace. We shouldn't really be importing refined fuel anyway should we?

In a normal world this would be a no brainer. Government would re-examine the licensing process and expedite is so we don't fall into dependency on uncertain foreign producers. Oops, too late.

The world, within U.S. energy policy, just isn't normal. Since so many in power and in the media have been successfully drilling it into the American people's heads the United States is such a hated country an environmental melt down and a squanderer of resources that it would be morally wrong to do anything that might loosen the thumb screws on its energy industry, refining capacity in particular. Besides, they say, the high gas prices will help reduce global warming. God help us, this rationale is not uncommon, and is absolutely wrong.

This election year likely will set $4 a gallon gas, $5 for diesel, by November along with all the cost of living increases that tag along. We need to focus the candidates' attention on this issue while we can and stop their babbling about "change" before this hole in our pocket gets any bigger.

Bill Bala
Mineola