Addiction to oil must end
To the editor:
There is a lot of talk about energy policies with the elections closing in. It makes sense. We are all paying a lot more at the pumps, and anyone on a budget payment plan for their heating oil knows what the effect will be this winter. It's scary. Much of the focus has been on off-shore drilling. On the surface it makes sense. We need more oil. Foreign companies are making us pay too much. Open up drilling here.
The problem, however, is unfortunately the world isn't that simple. If the oil companies drilled everywhere they could right now without congressional action, they would increase our capacity by about 3 percent. If Congress opens off-shore drilling and open areas prohibited in Alaska, you'd increase another 2 percent. So, if we drill like crazy, we'll add 5 percent capacity to our current usage.
The problem is our addiction to oil. I'm not a die-hard environmentalist. I recycle, reuse shopping bags, and try to drive less. I'm pretty average. It's not environmental concerns that lead me to this conclusion. It's just plain economics. We can't drill our way out of the problem. The numbers show that we can't. We've got to find another solution. A big solution.
I was encouraged by Sen. Obama's energy message. What Sen. Obama offers is for us, we the people, to affect change in the way we look at energy. I'm 37. We haven't had to mobilize industry to support a war effort against a fascist dictatorship. We haven't been inspired to reach for the moon. We haven't had to do it but we can.
This is our calling. Sen. Obama is quoted saying, "Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."
I've never been politically active for a campaign before. I just feel like now is the time and place, and Senator Obama is the candidate who will give us the tools to find this new direction.
Pete Dwyer
Derry, N.H.
Shaheen has earned vote
To the editor:
Elections are the big story this year, and I am proud to say that Jeanne Shaheen has earned my vote. She is a candidate for senator and has a great track record of public service. After she served three consecutive terms as the governor of New Hampshire, I heard about her service as the director of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University.
She has the sound judgment and moral compass that this state really needs. Candidate Shaheen has voiced her concerns over our misguided actions in Iraq and has pledged her commitment to end the war. Military service is serious business, and the price we are asking service men and women and their families to pay needs to be worth it.
Lynne Marie Laval-Yeh
Londonderry, N.H.
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Sununu has dropped the ball
To the editor:
Thanks to John Sununu, lobbyists for Enron are reaching out from the corporate grave and haunting us right here in New Hampshire through higher gas prices. In 2000, John Sununu helped Enron lobbyists create a loophole that allows Wall Street speculators to drive up the cost of oil without any regulation whatsoever. That's good for Wall Street profits and bad for those of us worried about heating our homes this winter.
Not only did Sununu vote to create this loophole, he has voted seven times against closing it and cracking down on these speculators — including one vote just last week. Sununu has marched hand-in-hand with George Bush and the oil industry, and it's hurting New Hampshire families. If we want this to change, we need to change senators!
Neila Brownstein
Londonderry, N.H.
Conservative voice
To the editor:
"The best defense against usurpatory government is an assertive citizenry." — William F. Buckley
John Burtis
Derry, N.H.
Raise your voices
To the editor:
Derry residents need to voice their needs and concerns. We hear all too often how our representatives, senators, and our governor need to act a certain way. Well, I have news for you. Residents also need to participate. The whole system fails any time anyone of US fails to do our duty. I spend a great deal of time trying to hear the voice of the Derry resident. All I hear and read are from the same individuals. The sad truth is, this economy, this war, this political environment, and these oil prices, are all a result of OUR failure. Being a citizen requires more than paying your taxes, more than voting. It requires active participation.
Nick Arancio
Derry, N.H.
Obama's Unsound Energy Plan
To the editor:
Sen. Obama's energy policy consists of trying to rein in speculation of oil in the markets, promoting alternative energy sources and increasing the mileage standards of automobiles.
First, the automobile manufacturers have been increasing mileage standards for years, and they are currently producing smaller, fuel efficient cars which get 35 to 45 miles per gallon.
Second, alternative energy sources, e.g. wind, solar, thermal, hydro, tides can only provide a very small portion, maybe 10 percent to 15 percent, of our energy requirements.
Third, the supposed speculation of oil in the markets has its root cause in the classic economic conditions associated with supply and demand. Since the demand for oil is approximately equal to the available supply, prices are high, and any perturbations in the supply of oil puts upward pressure on prices. Supply is controlled by OPEC and other countries, our own oil production, and U.S. oil companies, so to increase supply we have to increase domestic oil production and build refineries. On the demand side, gasoline consumption has been steadily decreasing in the U.S. due to less travel, a switch to smaller cars, car pooling and the increased use of mass transit systems.
Once again Sen. Obama comes up with an untenable program, because he does not have the experience and good judgement to make sound decisions.
John McCain will increase domestic oil production, build nuclear power plants and promote alternative energy sources.
Donald A. Moskowitz
Londonderry, N.H.
Family thanks Bradley
To the editor:
Jeb Bradley is a person who sincerely cares about people. My family knows on a personal level how Jeb Bradley follows through with his promises. With the rains of 2006 and so many people in need of help, Jeb Bradley was there. Jeb and Paula of There's No Place Like Home were working relentlessly helping people who had lost their homes and other ongoing crisis. But Jeb, hearing of our situation, called us and said he would see us through, assured us he would not give up until the job was done. And that's just what he did. While some of you know Jeb Bradley as a man who fights for veterans, others refer to his outstanding service while in Congress. We took it a little more personal. He was like family helping family, a very special person. In today's difficult times, we definitely need Jeb Bradley fighting for us in Congress.
The Clivio Family
Derry, N.H.
A true conservative
To the editor:
Running a small business in Manchester, it is important that I watch the bottom line and not overspend. I was happy to see that the Union Leader recently endorsed John Stephen in the first Congressional District. John is the only true fiscal conservative in New Hampshire and is passionate when he comes out against overspending. We cannot afford to continue to mortgage our children's future. Washington is broke, and it will take a loud strong voice to stand up against wasteful spending. John Stephen has demonstrated that ability at Health and Human Services. I applaud the Union Leader in making its endorsement and for identifying the crucial issue in Congress today, wasteful spending. I invite all small business owners to join me in supporting John Stephen for Congress.
Steve Payne
Manchester, N.H.
Stephen the best choice
To the editor:
John Stephen is the best choice in the first district
We have all heard the saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Well, in Washington, it is broke. When something is broke, we need change. Sending our former Congressman Jeb Bradley back to Washington when he had his chance and did not fix things is not change, it is the same old same old. We need John Stephen in Washington. He demonstrated change at the Department of Health and Human Services. John Stephen managed to provide essential services to our neediest citizens while reducing the welfare rolls and getting people back to work. Incredibly, in doing so he found a way to return $143 million to the taxpayer instead of spending it as most politicians would do if they had the chance. John has taken the pledge against earmarks so that we don't wastefully spend taxpayers' dollars. This is the type of change and the type of leadership we need in the first district. Washington is broke, and we need John Stephen's help to fix it. John Stephen is the best choice in the first district and the only choice that offers real change.
Joe Pasqual
Manchester, N.H.
Shea-Porter understands
To the editor:
U.S. Congress candidate Carol Shea-Porter understands the difficulties Americans are facing when it comes to finding the means to heat their homes. With oil prices higher than ever, Americans are already worried that this winter they will have to make some tough choices on where to put their income. Carol Shea-Porter believes that "hardworking Americans should not have to choose between putting food on the table and staying warm." Porter has always had a strong stance on trying to help Americans afford oil for heating their homes while still having the money to provide the other necessities for their families.
In July of 2008, Carol Shea-Porter introduced legislation that will provide emergency funding for the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP). LIHEAP helps assists families who needed help paying their energy bills and without this assistance wouldn't be able to heat their homes throughout the winter. The Legislation introduced will have greatly help many American families by increasing funding for LIHEAP by $9 billion.
As a member of the U.S. Congress, Carol Shea-Porter will continue to fight the big oil companies and will continue to put Americans first. With heating oil prices expected to increase by almost 50 percent this year, we need someone in Washington who will look out for the American people. Carol Shea-Porter, and her strong record on heating, can be trusted to provide the support and assistance needed so that no American will go through the night cold because they couldn't afford to pay their bill.
Kelsey Burke
Kingston, N.H.
