A friend asked me this week how I felt about the gas prices? I feel more than a little annoyed that I am spending almost $28 to fill up the tank of my Prius (last year it was under $20) while Exxon earned $11 billion in profits the first three months of this year. With all of the big oil companies turning huge profits, I am feeling gouged!
But what really irritates me is that the oil and gas industries are enjoying taxpayer subsidizes of over $4 billion a year while the Women, Infants and Children’s Program, which provides food and infant formula to low income families, Wetlands Protection Programs and Developing Alternative Energy Sources Programs are all having their funding cut.
How are we to become more independent of foreign oil when our refinery companies are decreasing production but sending overseas large amounts of gasoline and diesel, more than doubling their exports since 2007. Democracy means capitalism! Greed is good!
I wish I could get some locals to picket our gas stations with me.
Valerie Sklarevsky