Lower gas prices to fix economy

I have some advice for the politicians who want to fix our economy and receive the middle class votes: Lower gas prices! Put money into our pockets to spend in our local retail stores, take vacations, dine out, or to pay down debts.

Get diesel prices back under the price of gas where it belongs, thus to lower transportation and farming costs, along with airline prices and shipping costs.

This is common sense that our rich, overpaid, deceiving, power hungry politicians lack.

How do you lower oil prices? Resume drilling in the Gulf, which passed all safety inspections last year, or approve the Keystone pipeline from Canada and begin drilling in Alaska. The mere announcement of any of these solutions to fixing the world economy will put current oil companies under pressure from new competition and a future surplus in crude oil. Proof is in the numbers.

In December 2008, crude oil was $30 per barrel and the unemployment rate began to decrease significantly. In January 2011, crude oil hit $100 again, which caused consumers to reduce spending, which in return caused unemployment to increase. If consumers and businesses are saving hundreds of dollars per week at the pump, they are more likely to circulate it back into the economy as opposed to saving it, resulting in lower expenses for employers and increasing hiring opportunities.

Fix today's problems before taking on tomorrows.

Jon Fennern

Cedar Rapids