Let’s recap:

Thirty-five Republicans in the U.S. Senate blocked a bill that would have doubled heating aid to low-income families. One hundred sixty-two Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives blocked a measure that would make oil companies either drill on the 68 million acres of our federal lands and waters where they already have permits, or else lose the permits. (Why drill if more oil lowers the profit margin?)

Forty-three Republicans in the U.S. Senate blocked a bill that would set limits on oil speculation in the commodities market. As much as 60 percent of the price of oil is caused by speculation. Who are these speculators who have done more damage to America than Osama bin Laden? A clue is the fact that the price of oil steadily grew to $145 a barrel up to July 13 and immediately began dropping once President Bush lifted the executive ban on offshore drilling on July 14. There was no change in supply, yet the price dropped $25 a barrel in 26 days. It’s reasonable to extrapolate that these speculating puppet masters of the Republican Party were willing to wound America just so they can sink their rapacious drills into our pristine outer continental shelf’s virgin waters and in the unspoiled wilderness of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. They are environmentalists and are alone the reason your neighbors might not be able to afford to heat their homes this winter. Sens. Olympia Snowe and Susan Collins aren’t to blame, but we should remember this on Nov. 4.

Keith C. Taft

Van Buren