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OPINIONS
Voice of the people
Citizens won't see profit from drilling
No oil company could match the coming profits from oil drilling in the United States. That is, if politicians listen to "we the people." Polls say that the great majority of us want drilling -- now! The politicians will sell expensive leases or our oil to the world. It will be wealth beyond imagination. Since it belongs to the citizens of the United States, can I assume we will benefit through lesser taxes? Or will they find a new environmental scheme to waste it on?
Maybe we could find a way to measure the earth's core temperature and launch a campaign to keep it hot. That should cost trillions. It's a real danger, you know. Just ask any scientist to whom you give billions in grants to study the thing.
The 9 percent profit of the oil companies will pale in comparison to the 100 percent profit the government will get from selling our oil. Lower taxes? Or, maybe they will launch a program to keep hell from freezing over, since that is how long it will be before our benevolent politicians will resist the temptation to tax us more (state or federal).
The government is already making more on gasoline sales than oil companies. And what are they doing? Finding new ways to spend it. I'm voting for the person who says the oil money from public lands will go back to those who own it -- the people. We'll see who gets the money during the next administration. Happy voting!
Paul Jones
Proctorville, Ohio
Obama promises skewed by writer
I would like to clear up some discrepancies in a letter published on Aug. 18.
Senator Barack Obama's tax plan does not promise $1,000 to every person in the United States from what he calls "big oil." His proposal calls for $1,000 credit to each American family to help offset the costs of huge energy increases. There is a huge difference in his suggestions.
He also attempts to put words into the senator's mouth concerning his remarks to get your car tuned up and make sure your tires are inflated. Senator Obama did not suggest or say directly that doing this will drop the price of oil. What Senator Obama did say was that doing these two things, supported by NASCAR, AAA and the tire manufacturers, would save as much oil as could be drilled offshore.
Drilling for oil offshore is not the solution to the crisis we find ourselves in right now. None of the parties has even mentioned conservation. If we started drilling today, the United States would not have that oil for at least four or five years, according to analysts for the energy industry. And nothing would prevent the companies from exporting the oil to other countries.
And I checked on www.opensecrets.org and found that Senator Obama's total contributions from PACs (such as "big oil") total a measly $1,570. Nearly $340 million has come from individuals like myself who have donated to a campaign that can deliver real change.
Thanks to the letter writer for telling us to "stop and think," because I did just that and corrected his errors.
David Classing
South Point, Ohio
