Carter policies won’t solve America’s energy crisis

Re: “More drilling won’t solve America’s energy crisis,” From Readers, June 17

Carl Henn is a perfect example of the thinking that will soon result in $10/gallon gasoline. “We should count former President Jimmy Carter’s windfall profits tax and the ban on ANWR drilling as victories,” he advises us. How does raising taxes on oil reduce the price? And how does a ban on producing more energy produce more energy?

As he has in previous missives, Mr. Henn warns that we have reached “the peak of global oil production.” But every single one of the “peak oil” predictions of the last 100 years has been wrong. In 1939, the Department of the Interior confidently predicted that oil would run out in 13 years. The limit was extended another 13 years in 1951. Just 40 years ago, environmentalists assured us that the wells would run dry in 30 years.

Mr. Henn’s solution is to return us to the disastrous policies of the Carter years: lower speed limits, higher taxes, reduced supplies, inflation and stagnation. If going back to that bleak future is what you want, then listen to him. Otherwise, let’s do something else.

Roger Johnson

Kensington

Only thing Metro needs is some fiscal restraint

Re: U.S. House approves measure to provide Metro $1.5B funding,” June 12

Metro’s recent problems are a result of its own mismanagement, not lack of revenue. A frugal Metro would have budgeted for long-term repairs since it first laid track; it would not have spent more than $100,000 in research and development funds on one self-cleaning toilet at Huntington in 2003; nor would it continue to give huge bonuses to senior executives or severance packages to outgoing executives.

For many years, Metro mismanaged its revenue by confusing its priorities, and now the transit agency is paying for it. Before I hear another word about Metro needing another source of income for something as basic as repairs, I want to see a spending plan that slashes nonessential expenditures such as R&D and big bonuses.

Elsa L. Fridl

Silver Spring

Illegals unfairly blamed for recent crime wave

Re: “Washington-area police report wave of burglaries, cite illegal immigrants,” June 16

The Examiner is guilty of irresponsible journalism. The June 16 front page proclaims in large type: “Illegals blamed for crime wave.” The headline on Page 5 is almost as bad.

The story itself features an unsupported slur against illegal immigrants: “Police say illegal immigrants ... are likely playing a key role” in the increased number of burglaries in the Washington area. This is only supposition. And a later paragraph, buried toward the end, admits that “crime experts have mixed opinions on the role illegal immigrants play” in lawbreaking.

Moreover, a criminologist at American University is quoted as saying, “... There’s little to no empirical evidence to show that [connection].”

Such distortion, especially in the headlines — which are the “sound bites” of print journalism — is not fair or balanced, and serves only to inflame the situation.

Gilbert Adams

Washington

Rice’s criticism betrays ignorance about U.N. policy

Re: “Rice says Israel invites questions about motives,” June 15

When Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice questions the motives of Israel for allowing new settlements, she shows an abysmal lack of knowledge of both the history and the meaning of U.N. Resolution 242.

After Arab nations, including Palestinians, waged a series of unsuccessful wars to destroy Israel, this resolution was passed with the stated intent of bringing peace to the region. Israel was not required to withdraw to the indefensible pre-1967 armistice lines, but allowed to regain sections of Jerusalem rendered Judenfrei in 1948 by Jordan and reunite the holy city. Now that Israel has 450,000 inhabitants outside the original temporary armistice lines, Secretary Rice mistakenly declares the natural growth of these cities illegal.

Unfortunately, the Palestinian Arabs have never opted for peace. The destruction of Israel, in defiance of U.N. Resolution 242, is still on their agenda. By siding with the sponsors of terror, Secretary Rice has supported the wrong horse, both ethically and morally.

Nelson Marans

Silver Spring