| Traffic
cameras cause plenty of problems
I recently read a story about traffic cameras
in Arizona overcharging more than 600 drivers.
The city is now forced to refund more than $35,000
due to this mistake. We need to stop more of
these cameras popping up around the city before
it’s too late.
Michael Haviland
End tax subsidies for the oil and gas
industry
This should make Americans ask the fundamental
question: What is the difference between what
a public non-profit utility company provides
and what a private for-profit oil company provides?
After all they both sell energy to all United
States citizens. The difference is that natural
gas and electricity are sold in the form of
a public good whereas oil is sold in the form
of a private good. Accordingly, on the grounds
of promoting national security, the United States
Congress should convert all oil companies to
utility companies. This would eliminate the
windfall profits and force the oil industry
to earn just enough income to cover operating
expenses just as natural gas and electric utility
companies are required to do. The resulting
drop in gasoline prices would further stimulate
the economy and lighten the energy stranglehold
upon the United States by the Middle East. It
would also eliminate the influence of the oil
lobby. In this case, desperate times call for
deliberate measures. But as pathetic as the
energy policy is in the United States, the effort
to develop alternative sources of energy won’t
really be accelerated until the oil dries up
and the Saudis place solar cells all across
their desert and then sell us the electricity.
Joe Bialek | 
