Dear Editor: Yes, we can drill our way to energy independence for the next 50 years. I am 100 percent in favor of drilling for oil, as this product is the life blood of our economy. Forest Avenue is now being repaved with oil products and that job needs to be done now. We also need oil and gas now so we can drive our cars to work and truckers can bring us the food we eat.

Cars powered by alternative energy are expensive and not practical at the present time. It will cost $30,000 to place an electric motor in my car and the battery will cost $5,000 and last for 18 months. It will take a good 20 years before we have an electric car we can use.

At the present time we have George W. Bush as our President. He is a professional oil well driller with 10 years experience working in the oil fields in Alas­ka and West Texas. He knows where the oil located in our country. All Congress needs to do is okay the drilling for oil in the U.S.A. After all, why should we send 700 billion dollars to our enemy every year. Let's drill for oil now for peace and prosperity.

Ernest A. Howell, Massapequa,