Insist on reform

The disclosure that it appears oil companies ran up prices claiming they were “offline” on the West Coast when data indicates they were in production should not shock anyone who is a careful consumer of information [“Refineries ran while ‘offline,’ pushed up gas prices,” page one, Nov. 15].

We have repeatedly watched corporations effectively manipulate situations for their own financial gain at our expense with no real consequences being levied against those that orchestrate fraud, deceit and illegal practices. How many times do we roll over and take it? When do we, as a populace, start the process of ending the lobbyist practices that give special-interest groups the blanket of protection that comes from owning our lawmakers, one way or another?

Be it the Republicans owned by the corporations or the Democrats owned by the unions and other special-interest groups, we no longer have honesty or accountability and cannot count on government penalizing abuses like this. Until we stand together outside party politics and begin insisting on reform, we get the government we deserve and the abuse we tolerate.

— Teresa Coda, Renton