Letter to the editor: Oil companies have stranglehold on economy

Talk about it

I find it hard to understand how as Americans with the freedoms we have that we all stand by quietly and allow the oil companies to continue to hold us hostage.

I can’t be the only one in this great country to notice gas prices rose as much as $0.24 per gallon last week. Yet why is the U.S. exporting record amounts of gas and diesel than ever? It’s because it is more profitable and that is keeping our gas prices here at home high, this was reported on the news.

I can only imagine what kind of shape this wonderful country would be in if other suppliers followed the same business practices. I ask, can you imagine if every time wheat prices changed all the grocery stores ran through and raised the price on bread? Corn prices change and that directly affects chicken feed. Guess what – eggs and chicken all go up. Even I can see that if we keep our oil home and lower the price of gas even as little as $1.00 per gallon this country would come alive with Americans traveling and spending money. We just endured another lengthy presidential election and with all the talk about how the middle class can rebuild this country it would be unbelievable how fast the recession would turn around with Americans spending that kind of money.

Someone please tell me how long we as free Americans are going to stand for being held hostage. We really need to take care of our home front so we can become the world leaders once again and feed the world, rather than keep our own people suppressed and depressed as other parts of the world thrive on the fuel we export and the oil companies continue to make record profits.

Steve Lumley - Woodbury

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