Pay workers so they can afford gas

For years we have listened to the many claims/promises of those in government to Big Oil that if we wanted $2 gas, let’s drill baby drill, to quote a former governor. OK, so they got their way and their frackin’ up America with all this crude oil and for a brief moment there was at least one station in Everett that was at $1.99. But now the price is going back up and seems it has little to do with outside forces like OPEC. In fact, the Saudis’ claim they’re content with the current barrel market price, so what’s the problem?

When clamoring for more drilling, what was conveniently ignored was that in order for them to drill, the many — read as middle America — must pay $4 a gallon which equated to yearly record-breaking profits for the few — read as Wall Street and Big Oil. Note the irony, that most of those who support this con job can easily pay $8 a gallon without it crunching their household(s) budgets.

So what can we do, right? Can’t stop buying gas, can we, and they know it, like drug peddlers, eh? Try this; decent wages as per cost of living, quit messing with labor, take better care of workers and maybe $4 a gallon could work for all of us. Or, one could continue to back those who support these lopsided policies? It’s your vote.

Care to take odds on how many other U.S. refineries catch fire or develop some kind of malfunction causing a shutdown in the near future?

Dennis Doolittle

Arlington