Dear Governor Crist,

This from the NY Post regarding off shore drilling in Florida has me upset.

"Florida's governor, Charlie Crist, a Republican, immediately joined Mr. McCain, saying he, too, now wants an end to the ban. ...

Mr. Bush's father, the first President Bush, signed an executive order in 1990 banning coastal oil exploration, and Mr. Bush's brother Jeb was an outspoken opponent of offshore drilling when he was governor of Florida."

I know, you are on a list to be considered for VP so perhaps you feel compelled to agree with anything McCain wants. America does not need a "yes man".

More drilling is not what we need. It will not reduce the price of oil because oil companies will just pass along the cost of drilling rather than diverting their huge windfall profits from the present increases. It is the way they do business. They will see lower costs but that will not be passed on to us.. Record profits means they have increased their profit margins over what they had in the past even as crude prices increased, exacerbating the price increases further. Oil companies do not have our interests at heart as their ever increasing profits on fuel are leading to ever increasing cost to every American for food, transportation, clothing etc.

America needs to become LESS dependent on oil. All drilling for more does is continue that dependence. We need alternatives. No one will provide alternatives as long as the oil companies can continue to suck huge profits out of the ground and keep pushing prices up.

This is not oil sitting under private land, this is "public oil" that the oil companies want to turn into private wealth. Will you demand that Florida citizens receive a royalty check each year for their oil? I'm not talking about tax dollars for the state to spend, I'm talking about an actual check mailed to our full time residents.

Would oil companies be required to post a bond sufficient to clean up any mess they make including subsidizing lost revenues to Florida's tourism industry that could result from a spill damaging beaches and resorts? If a "Florida Authorized" rig causes a spill that pollutes Louisiana, will Florida compensate that state's citizens for damages? Who will accept these liabilities? No more Exxon Valdeze type law suits where their lawyers fight to avoid responsibility for their own actions.

I would not support more drilling. I would not support for election anyone who sides with "big oil" profits. Higher prices at the pump are painful but this will not solve that problem...it will cause it to drag out for as long as we are dependent on oil to move our cars and trucks. The price crunch is an opportunity to educate and encourage America to step away from gasoline as our primary mover. We need electric vehicles we can plug in. They meet the needs of 90% of drivers for daily use. We can rent a gas-hybrid for the occasional longer trip.

As long as oil companies control our fuel, there is less incentive to move to alternatives. We need to keep this pressure on alternatives and drilling for more oil prolongs the agony while benefiting big oil over the average American.

Resist the temptation to follow party lines in supporting big oil special interests.

Respectfully,