Questioning the Crisis at the Pumps

Once again the petroleum industry has hoodwinked everyone into believing there is a crisis to justify its extortion at the pumps (“Drop in Gasoline Prices Expected,” Aug. 25).

Has anyone seen the size of this pipe, this vital lifeline? That single 12-inch pipe has created this financial crisis?

If our infrastructure is so fragile that a single pipe can steal money from the entire nation’s pockets, then we are in real trouble.

Darrell Butler

Seal Beach

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We do not experience shortages in clothing from China or wines from France. There is no regulation of the petroleum industry that would provide a reason for not being able to control its own destiny. Europe does not experience fuel shortages as regularly as we do.

There obviously is some other factor at play that causes this monopolistic industry to punish our citizens on a regular basis with price spikes that inevitably lead to increased profitability for the producers.

Kent Jones

Woodland Hills

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With Californians left vulnerable to Big Oil’s price-gouging policies, perhaps what is warranted is regulation of oil industry pricing policies, analogous to the regulation of electricity and natural gas prices, by state and federal public utility and energy commissions.

Darwin M. Ochs

Lancaster