When, oh when will a hotshot legal beagle or politician finally get on the ball with a monopoly-antitrust investigation or consumer protection legislation to regulate our current robber barons, big oil and OPEC?

Over 100 years ago, the United States had to break up monopolies in different industries and impose various business regulations.

When oil companies are making obscene profits, then everyone knows something is very wrong. The public shouldn't be the only one crying foul. It's time to tell Congress, the federal Justice Department, and state Attorney Generals to do something now!

Is it a monopoly, collusion or a violation of some old law? We won't know unless someone really investigates these companies.

Record obscene profits mean Joe-Q-Public is getting ripped off.

It doesn't help that OPEC is holding the world hostage by limiting oil production when the world is crying out for more. Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait ought to be paying us in oil for providing security to the Middle East.

Someone in the administration or Congress needs to remind OPEC that if they really hurt our economy, then we can withhold our military and other aid. Some people will even say just send all those Arab college students home.

Even if the oil company executives aren't in collusion, it is surely time to regulate this vital public industry. America regulates utilities such as gas, water and telephone companies and services such as the broadcast airwaves, airlines and health care.

So why not limit excessive executive salaries and perks plus obscene profits if they exceed boundaries like the state's usury limit?

Outrageous, sky high salaries and perks for the top administrators wouldn't be so bad if the executives shared the wealth with lot higher salaries and perks for the grunts who do the actual work. Or actually invested profits in developing more refining and production capacity.

If you agree, write this fine newspaper, call or write your state or federal legislator, or tell your local politician or business leader. Let's see some action before gas hits $10 a gallon, because $5 looks like it is just around the corner!

Keith Weber

If you look into it you would be surprised at the politicians that have stock in oil companies.Would you cut your own throat?

The world is going to shake for a reason - these goons have to be overthrown, and they just won't go quietly.

Boo to the oil companies, Boo i say

My Sociology class is staging a protest on this very topic!

We're talking about drawing up petitions and writing many letters to our government officials.
We must stand against injustice and with gas prices going up like they have been means our economy is going to take a beating.
The average consumer is getting the short end, as always

big oil and opec learned form the illegal drug trade


give it to them

then sell it cheap (cause you know nothins free)

then when they are hooked (bend 'em over and ram it home)

another reason drugs should have been regulated and taxed (not outlawed)

just a thought

but hey

what do i know

Just a note on the last topic, on legalized drugs.
I say the Dutch and other Europeans have been in the lead on this subject for 40 years.

Ever since a trip during high school from K-town, Germany, to Amsterdam, I've felt America would be better off regulating drugs and the sex trade. Which isn't to say you can't have Social Welfare regulations to prohibit drug use and in-home hooking when Children are around.

Just think of all the voluntary taxes that would be paid drug users getting their fixes at the Wal-mart Pharmacy.