Bush’s Plan Offers No Relief for California

Re “Bush Energy Plan Seeks More Nuclear Power, Aid for Poor,” May 17: Now Californians, and other Western states, have to believe what we have thought all along; President Bush and his oil and energy-generating buddies have no compassion or concern about the gasoline and energy crisis facing us. Bush has absolutely nothing in his policy about short-term relief for us.

He says nothing about energy rate caps, gasoline price relief or pressure on OPEC to produce more oil. Bush continues to tout drilling and fossil fuel production at the expense of environmental concerns.

The policy he is pushing is a direct in-your-face rebuttal of California needs. It is an outrageous slap-in-the-face response to the needs of 34 million people in this state. How can Californians and other Western states ever again believe this president is a compassionate conservative as he has defined himself?

Midterm elections cannot come soon enough! We will be at the ready!

Roger G. Lowney

San Diego

*

Re “President Bush Plans First Visit to California,” May 17: Dear Mr. President: Glad to hear you’re finally coming to California. We’ll leave a light on for you (God willing).

Donald Kerns

Garden Grove

*

Re “Governor, Take Command,” editorial, May 13: The criticism that, “President Bush has been of no help to California” is accurate but irrelevant. One might well look to the president in case of a natural disaster (earthquake, floods, etc.), but this crisis has been created in California by Californians.

Every single one of the Democrats and Republicans in the Legislature voted for the botched 1996 “deregulation,” which actually increased the electricity regulation. Gov. Gray Davis admitted in January that he “could solve the electricity shortage in 20 minutes by allowing the retail price to rise.”

Devon Showley

Cypress

*

To solve the gasoline crisis Bush is trying to convince Americans that more refineries are needed. However, what is needed is to increase the oil supply at reasonable prices, not to increase the country’s refining capacity. It is like setting up new bakeries when flour cannot be supplied.

He is also insisting on cutting taxes so that the consumer will have more funds available to pay for the rising price of gasoline. This means that instead of controlling the skyrocketing gasoline prices and taking other measures to protect the consumer, he wants to transfer tax money to the oil industry through the consumer.

This is not only quite unfair to the taxpayer but will also encourage the oil industry to continue raising prices. Is the president working for the oil industry or for the consumer?

Al Bolands

San Diego

*

It’s beginning to look as if deregulation may make of our capitalism what human nature has made of their communism.

Gary S. Colby

La Verne