John McCain said Thursday that his proposal to suspend the gas tax for three months this summer may need to be extended longer if high gas prices continue to take a toll on the economy. ...more

July 18, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush urged lawmakers on Tuesday to move quickly in putting into force legislation designed to help prop up mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac while declaring the nation's financial system to be "basically sound." ...more

July 15, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Putting pressure on congressional Democrats to back more exploration for oil, President Bush on Monday lifted an executive ban on offshore drilling that his stood since his father was president. ...more

July 14, 2008

Demand Is Worldwide U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor's article "Declaring Independence From Big Oil" (Other Views, July 4) is typical of politicians who like to pose as economists when in fact they are not. She is a typical lawyer who takes license to pose as an expert on energy and oil. Her article looks like party boiler plate. As the chief economist for the Foundation for Fiscal Reform, Inc. in Palm Harbor, I warn our readers nationwide each week of the dangers of politicians. ...more

July 12, 2008

Tom Cannariato continues to nurse the delusion that we could lower the price of gasoline if only we could put those oil rigs a little closer to shore. ...more

July 10, 2008

Presidential campaigning has placed the media spotlight on the offshore drilling discussion. While I am glad for the renewed attention to this important topic, I worry politics will divide what is a really a nonpartisan issue. The public overwhelmingly supports increased exploration for oil and natural gas off Florida's coastline. As Floridians and Americans, we cannot afford to sit back as our energy future and the future of our natural resources are debated in the political arena. It's time to stop talking and start taking action. ...more

July 7, 2008

Oil companies once viewed drilling in the deep waters off Florida as cost prohibitive. Politicians feared even the slightest sign of support would be career suicide. ...more

July 4, 2008

Environmental Stewardship, Offshore Drilling Can Coexist In "Oiling The Opposition Machine," Hernando Today reporter Tony Marrero questioned the environmental impact of resource exploration near the Florida coast. However, thanks to improved technologies and updated safety exercises, environmental stewardship and offshore energy development can co-exist. ...more

July 3, 2008

Americans are, with good reason, angry at the price they pay for gasoline. Not only are many getting hit hard at the pump, but the high price of oil is also affecting the price of food and other essential commodities. ...more

July 2, 2008

Your editorial on offshore drilling was so full of egregious errors of fact and logic one scarcely knows where to begin a reply. But let's start with a summary of your view: Oil exploration in the Gulf is bad because an oil spill will forever scare away 85 million tourists, costing the state economy $65 billion annually, and throw a million people out of work. Besides, the oil companies might export the oil in the same way they have "pipelined" all of our Alaskan oil to Japan. ...more

June 26, 2008