The Columbian’s April 21 front-page story “Cantwell takes aim at sky-high gas” does not go far enough to explain why we have $4 per gallon gas today. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Seattle, in a “cameo” appearance in Vancouver, tells us that speculation and an inept government agency are the culprits driving up gas and crude oil prices.
Sen. Cantwell, stop crying about gas rip-offs and get Congress to pass a law that gets tough with Big Oil. A 90 percent tax on gas and fuel profits is a good place to start. My idea then is to plow this money back into the economy, which needs jobs, roads and bridges. This action by the feds will force the oil companies to comply with regulatory agencies. Eventually that should reduce prices to pre-$3 per gallon levels.
We cannot simply allow Big Oil to push this country over the cliff. Its insane greed and profits have hurt everybody since 1973. The trucking companies can’t afford diesel to haul goods to market. School buses need gasoline to take kids to school every day.
Both politicians and the oil industry must be held accountable for their crazy actions. Ultimately this will determine the price we pay at the pump.
