I just finished reading John Mulligan’s May 2 story “No quick fix to soaring fuel costs, lawmakers say.”

Is there a Democrat alive who can open his or her mouth without the words “higher taxes and more regulations” flying out? The four men in the Rhode Island congressional delegation have no clue how to fix this problem.

Do any of them know anything about economics or how markets work? Do they know what the law of supply and demand is? There is not a bit of recognition on their part that government, taxes and regulations have contributed to the mess that we are in, and more of them will only make it worse.

Not one of their suggestions will increase the supply by one more barrel. They like to talk about conservation and alternative fuels. Most of the homes in Rhode Island heat with oil and most of our cars run on gasoline. We are not going to heat them with solar energy or convert our cars to run on electricity. Like it or not, we are going to be dependent on oil for many years to come.

So how about increasing the supply by letting oil companies drill for oil in the United States? How about increasing our refining capacity? How about changing regulations that do nothing but discourage the search for and production of new supplies?

You almost have to laugh at their responses, except that it is so sad.

BILL CORCORAN

Johnston