Need long-term oil solution

To the editor:

Our Republican Congress has consistently shown it will gladly sacrifice our environment and our nation to benefit corporate donors. The recently passed energy bill promotes energy corporation interests while pretending to help the American public. Once again, legislators duck the real issues and simply pass the bill on to the American taxpayers.

The real issue is lack of oil, a problem that will grow worse regardless of how much and where we drill. The problem could be solved by subsidizing alternative energy sources and technologies that will help reduce our dependence on foreign oil. New technologies and alternate sources of energy are a long-term solution to the problem instead of a temporary quick fix. However, our government has chosen to give several million dollars in tax breaks to corporations that already rake in billions of dollars each year from hard-working Americans instead of spending the money on a long -term solution that will give our country independence from foreign oil. How can this be considered patriotic?

KERRIE LINTNER, Cape Girardeau