May 8: Uncle Sam’s ‘fix’ and stop it right now

By Published by The Editorial Board

Published: May 8, 2008

Don’t let Uncle Sam ‘fix’ those high gasoline prices

To the editor:
Everything that goes around comes around, or so I’ve been told. People have short memories and no sense of history. If one listens to people who drive, one would never believe that the oil shortage of the 1970s ever occurred.
Everyone is demanding that the government take charge of the price of gasoline and diesel fuel.
But does anyone remember the gas rationing, designated purchasing days, designated gas purchasing stations and the mandatory nationwide 55 mph speed limit that followed the last time the government tried to control gasoline prices?
Well, I remember the panic and hardship caused by government mandates. When the price of gas was frozen during the 1970s, the shortage caused by the freeze closed many stations. There was no need to worry about the price of gas, the worry was finding gas to purchase. When you could find gas to buy, you were usually limited to a set amount. Sometimes, you had to move to another line when the station you were attempting to buy gas from ran out of gas before you could get to the pumps.
Once the price freeze was lifted, there was plenty of gas at reasonable prices. The government ceased trying to control the economy and the markets straightened out following the principles of supply and demand.
Supply and demand is still supporting a strong market. No matter the price, a record amount of fuel is being bought every day. Most people are not decreasing their driving. Just observe the long lines at drive-through eateries and at banks. Why blame the oil companies? As long as they can sell gas in record amounts at record prices, they will not think of dropping prices.
If everyone driving a vehicle would stop crying for government to help them and would cut their driving by 20 percent, the oil companies would have a surplus and therefore the price of gas would fall sooner. It is simply supply and demand — the same premise used by the oil companies.
The oil companies have not built any new refineries in this country in more than 30 years, using the excuse that the liberal ecologists prevent them from doing so. A lack of refineries limits the amount of processed gasoline to sell. Those that think the government can successfully control gas prices should ask the government to assist the oil companies to build more refineries, open up the Alaskan oil fields and limit the involvement of foreign governments in the ownership of oil companies doing business in our country.
That is what these lazy crybabies wastefully guzzling gas should be demanding of the government. But leave government out of the gasoline business — unless you want shortages again.

DAVID BRANDON
Yanceyville, N.C.

To the editor:
I wrote a few days ago that selling alcohol on Sunday should not be allowed in Pittsylvania County, “We must take a stand now,” (April 29, page A6).
In the editorial, “Time for a change,” (May 2, page A10), you seem to think that if the Board of Supervisors voted to overturn the ban without going to the voters first, it would be doing something right in the wrong way.
Twice this issue has come up before the citizens of the county, and twice it has been voted down. I think the county has already spoken out on this issue and it should be dropped.
I don’t want my children killed by a drunken driver while they are returning from a Sunday worship service by someone who purchased their beer or wine at a county store. I want the Board of Supervisors to vote this down — and never bring it up again.
As to the idea that nobody who lives in Pittsylvania County who wants to buy beer and wine on Sunday is prevented from doing so somewhere else, that’s absolutely true.
But it is a credit to Pittsylvania County that we still hold Sunday sacred. If we vote the ban on Sunday sales down, the consequences will be on our head.
Be not deceived, God is not mocked — whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. In other words, if we do away with the ban, we can expect more DUIs and alcohol-related deaths.
I don’t know about the rest of the citizens of the county, but I do not want that on my hands.
Please, join me in encouraging the Board of Supervisors to keep the ban on the Sunday sales of beer and wine. You can find their contact information at http://www.pittgov.org.

DAVID HYLER
Brosville