Letter: GOP has stood in the way of conservation

Tuesday, May 22, 2007 | 7:57 a.m.

Ken Lucas, in his May 20 letter, could not be more wrong in blaming Democrats for America's energy problems if he tried. Over the last 35 years the Republicans have vetoed or rescinded every effort made by Democrats to force the automobile industry to improve gas mileage, and every other effort to conserve oil, that would reduce the dollars flowing into the coffers of "Big Business."

President Jimmy Carter implemented regulations increasing average gasoline mileage that reduced oil imports by 87 percent. In 1986 President Ronald Reagan rescinded those regulations, doubling oil imports. In that one year, America burned more oil than is in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve. In 1995 Congress passed legislation prohibiting the Environmental Protection Agency from even studying high gasoline mileage standards. In 2003 legislation was introduced in the U.S. Senate that would have eliminated loop holes excluding some vehicles from mileage regulation. The bill was defeated by the Republican-controlled Congress.

I suggest that Mr. Lucas do more, writing letters to his congressmen, encouraging them to prevent automakers from flooding our roads with cars, SUVs and trucks that make less than 15 mpg - many of them under 10 mpg.

"Big Business" continues to get richer while the American public pays for it. Think again, Mr. Lucas, and do more research.

Randy Bolton, Las Vegas