Our habits effect gas usage

May 03, 2008 03:19 pm

— Only the public can force the big oil companies to reduce their prices.
The only way we can force them to reduce prices is to lessen our demand by using less gasoline.
We can accomplish this by scheduling all our errands for one trip a week, and walking whenever possible (or even bicycling or using mopeds for short trips). Refusing the buy gas one day a week, or boycotting any particular oil company such as Exxon, Mobile, Shell, BP and Chevron, will not produce any change in prices, because the smaller gas stations like RaceTrack, Marathon, Rally, etc., will have to buy their gas supplies from their distributors, and their distributors have to buy the gasoline from Exxon, Mobile, Shell, BP and Chevron, when they run out of their own supplies.
No matter what we do, we can’t outwit Big Oil. We have to reduce our demand for gasoline in order to affect the price at the pump.
Some of us can — those of us who are retired and don’t have to drive every single day — but some of us can’t — truckers, working people, utility companies, etc.
This is my small effort to make a difference and to encourage others to do something as well.
Linda H. Tillman
Edmonton

We do have a hero in Washington
I suppose this may come as a surprise to some, but we have a hero walking around in Washington D.C.; a man who is giving his all for his country.
This man has said and demonstrated to the entire world that terrorism and fear tactics will not be condoned or tolerated by the free world, this United States of America.
The president of our country is sometimes standing alone in these troubled times. Most think that the war in Iraq is wrong, but it is the only way to protect the United States. Unlike Vietnam, this war is for the world. It is unfortunate the other free-world leaders choose to let the president and the United States people suffer for this freedom.
The people who say war is not right or good for the United States are right. We have lost too many men and women and capital fighting this war, but we must stay and fight for our way of life.
President Bush knows this and will not give up this fight. President Lincoln found himself in an unpopular war that changed the world. In four years, he lost more than 660,000 men, North and South, yet he would not stop until the job had been finished. We must not stop until our job is finished.
Congress can take care of the problems that confront our nation; our president needs our support through these times of conflict and trouble.
As Americans we choose to overlook a lot of our problems. Rich oil countries could come to our aid, but what do they choose to do, you can only guess.
We also choose to overlook the fact that there are many countries that would seek to overtake the U.S.A. It only leads one to wonder what will the lives of our children be like in years to come.
We as Americans must realize that at this moment the hostile world is working and plotting to get a foot hold in this, our home. Our president is giving his all to prevent this action.
Our president and our country need support. Pray for our leaders, pray for our soldiers on foreign soil. Pray for this great nation, but most of all pray for peace.
May God bless this nation!
W. Day
Lucas