Ron Hutchison, we should clear up a few facts about the motives of the Republican party and those bad old Democrats who have insisted, to the chagrin of big oil and corporate world, that we need to be forever vigilant of defecating in our own house.

Ever since Ronald Reagan, oil companies have been attempting to desecrate one of our national refuges and they will do anything within the power of the Republican Party they have bought and paid to get elected.

The Alaska pipeline was constructed and is maintained by U.S. taxpayers, yet the highest percentage of Alaskan (American) oil pumped through it is sold to Japan and foreigners by these foreign-owned oil companies.

New drilling in Alaska will solve no problems except to placate these big oil companies’ desire to dominate our economy.

There are thousands of private oil wells here in this country capped by big oil to keep from paying royalties to the owners.

Oil spills are not accidents. They are the result of careless disregard by oil producers who use political influence and judges to further their cause.

This Republican administration is allowing foreign countries to strip the forests of the northwest and the Japanese are being allowed to set up plywood- processing ships just outside our outer continental limits to avoid taxes on the processing plants paying American workers wages and adhering to pollution standards.

By allowing drilling in this Alaskan wildlife refuge, we would be establishing a precedent that allows the further desecration of our planet (home). It will not solve our oil problems or drop the price of gas.

Market speculators are driving up the price of oil and if I was an investigator, I would start with Carl Ichan who owns huge blocks of Texaco stock.

If we find some alternative source of power, the big oil companies will buy the technology and still dictate the price of transportation. Good old capitalism at its best.

Charles C. Smith

Webb City