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There are many reasons for the rising costs of fuel: speculation in the commodities market, instability in oil-producing countries, China's and India's huge demand for oil, insufficient refining capacity, etc.  Most importantly, we are not capitalizing on our own resources.

The United States has some of the world's largest oil reserves but cannot touch them.  Why? Congress has banned oil exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and on the outer continental shelf.  I find this unacceptable and wrote to our senators and Rep. Christopher S. Murphy, D-5th District.

Rep. Murphy's response was a typical lawyer's answer: The House passed a law to make price-gouging illegal and another law to allow the United States to sue OPEC.  How absurd!  If the market is wiling to pay the asking price, who are we to demand that OPEC change its practices just to make life easier for us?  Who are we to sue another sovereign entity because it chooses to develop its natural resources?  The arrogance of this strategy is mind boggling, and it comes from the very people who haveblasted the Bush administration for the past seven years for, yes, arrogance.

Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman's response was similar, but he added we should not "despoil our treasured natural spaces and wilderness habitats."  Sen. Christopher J. Dodd has yet to reply.

Think about this in November.  How did your congressman vote on oil exploration?  Ask this question: Does this person have the country's best interests at heart?

Karen Dignacco

Sharon