In his letter (OGJ, Aug. 27, 2001, p. 10), Matt Janowiak advocates mandated fuel efficiency standards for automobiles, and states: "I guess we're not mature enough to make the tough decisions on our own, and the legislators should force us to act responsibly by removing irresponsible choices." Mr. Janowiak should speak for himself. I, for one, am not willing to let government bureaucrats force me to do much of anything.
As with most issues, our energy problems will be best solved by letting the free market work its magic. Govern-ment intervention is the problem, not the solution. Exhibit A is the recent California energy fiasco. The politicians in Sacramento decided that it would be a grand idea to cap retail prices by fiat, in defiance of common sense and the laws of economics. When inevitable shortages and soaring prices ensued, the bureaucrats blamed it on "deregulation," which is Orwellian doublespeak for ever more regulation and bureaucratic meddling.
The dire predictions of blackouts and chaos this summer did not materialize. While politicians and their apologists would have you believe that unseasonably cool weather was the reason, in reality it was the market that saved the day. Prices rose, signaling entrepreneurs to enter the market, which in turn increased supply. It's simple economics.
Rick Gee
Research Specialist-Energy
Spencer Stuart & Associates
Santa Fe, NM
