As the national average price of gasoline raced toward $4 a gallon and airlines laid off workers by the thousands because of rising jet fuel costs, the U.S. House of Representatives took action: It overwhelmingly passed the Gas Price Relief for Consumers Act of 2008. ...more

June 25, 2008

Dean Johnson wrote a letter blaming liberal Democrats for the rising price of gasoline. This is an example of the blind partisanship that is partly responsible for the trouble we're in. At least since the '70s, we've known that foreign oil would be a problem for us. But as Fox News pointed out, the first offshore oil ban was passed during the Reagan Administration. Then the senior President Bush, followed by Clinton and the current President Bush, all issued executive orders banning offshore drilling. Jeb Bush, meanwhile, prevailed on his brother to re-purchase existing offshore oil leases in 2002, shutting down any chance that there would be offshore drilling in Florida. ...more

June 23, 2008

Greater than the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the United States is suffering from external invasion and internal treason. Our very survival is at stake. I speak of our petroleum catastrophe. In essence, the Congress of the United States must pass the following laws: No petroleum pumped in the United States or its territories may be sold to any other countries. Owners of oil wells not pumping to capacity will be fined. All drilling restrictions will be abolished immediately. Incentive is offered for drilling new oil wells. The price per barrel of oil will be established at $50 (this includes imported oil. If they don't sell at this price, we don't buy.) ...more

June 20, 2008

Regarding "County Soccer Park Idea In Play" (Metro, June 18): With Hillsborough County so strapped for cash that they are laying off employees and making other budget cuts, Commissioner Jim Corman is again pushing for a sporting complex near Plant City. Furthermore, County parks director Mark Thornton said the 24-field complex would attract major soccer tournaments from across the nation. ...more

June 20, 2008

Not many strategies are available at the local level to fight back fast against the rising price of gasoline. One change that could be done right away, with immediate impact, is to switch to a four-day week. ...more

June 15, 2008

With the price at the pump rising past four dollars a gallon and no end in sight, everyone's favorite "Gee I wish" is for cheaper gas prices. This is surely to be desired. Regretfully, relief is more of an illusion than an achievable reality, especially in the short run. Since it is about to be dragged into the presidential campaign, it might be useful to examine a few unpleasant aspects of the reality. To the man on the street, the dream of energy independence has been equated to gasoline cheap enough for him to continue to operate his gas hog, 12-miles-to-the-gallon SUV into the future. ...more

June 12, 2008

Commissioners' Actions Show Fiscal Irresponsibility ...more

June 11, 2008

Even the people who run it will admit the Pasco County Public Transportation bus system for years had more good intentions than riders. When the PCPT system first began rolling, Pasco officials felt the buses were something the county should have, even if there were only a relative handful of people willing to climb aboard. It now has riders but could have more if it were easier to use. ...more

June 7, 2008

One year ago, the National Association of Railroad Passengers predicted the average price of gasoline would top $4 a gallon, a forecast that is close to becoming a harsh reality. ...more

June 3, 2008

SEBRING — Bill Nelson lives in Tallahassee, but he started Friday morning in Fort Myers. A northeasterly drive in his dark gray Nissan Pathfinder took him to town hall meetings in LaBelle, Moore Haven, then Sebring. He had to be back in Washington at 9 a.m. Saturday to argue the case for seating the Florida delegation at the Democratic National Convention, so Florida's U.S. senator had to arrive at the Orlando airport by 8 p.m. Friday to catch a flight to Washington. But U.S. Airways canceled the red-eye, so his aides made hasty phone calls to people he expected to meet at 3:30 p.m. in Sebring City Hall. Could they be there 30 minutes early? Nelson needed to fly from Sebring in a private plane so he could make the 6:15 flight in Orlando. ...more

May 31, 2008