Letters to the Web Editor

Can anyone explain to the hard-working people of the area why gas prices have increased 18 cents per gallon since the market closed on Friday? Surely, none of that $126 per barrel of crude has reached the refineries and been processed since then. As a matter of fact, none of it has reached the pump either.

In Whitehouse, gas jumped 6 cents per gallon on Saturday morning, and another 12 cents again Monday morning. Since the stations are only receiving shipments of fuel every second or third day now, then that means that the gasoline on hand in their tanks increased in value from its original purchase price. Isn't that considered price-gouging?

If we had a "people's attorney" in the AG's office in Austin, maybe we could get some protection from the greedy oil companies. I know that the oil and gas industry adds a lot to our local economy, but not everyone shares in that good fortune. All of us, however, have to pay the price at the pump, regardless of our own personal economies.

We need a "National Day Off," where everyone stays at home, and no one in the country drives a petroleum-operated vehicle. With the amount of money lost that day by business and industry, phones in Washington would be ringing off the wall before 5 p.m., and something would be done about big oil immediately.

I urge everyone not drive for one day, and invest the savings into long-distance calls to your local, state and federal legislators.

Let them know that you feel unrepresented and unappreciated, and you're tired of being used and abused to bolster their ambitions and egos.

Hank Gilbert
Whitehouse