As usual, The Augusta Chronicle perpetuates the Republican myth (" 'Read my lips: No new energy!' " July 20) that increased oil drilling in protected areas and offshore will decrease the price at the pump. The only people who will profit from this misconceived action would be the oil companies, whose profits have been skyrocketing as the average American is being swamped in debt.

The United States needs to decrease its dependence on oil -- not just on foreign oil. The Carter administration put into effect rules that would have gone a long way in achieving that goal, but these were abandoned by the Reagan administration. All experts agree that more U.S. oil production would have minimal effects on the price of oil. For one, it would take many years before new drilling would produce more oil for the market. Even if we could double production immediately, the growing appetite of India and China for oil would keep the price of oil high. Do you actually think global oil companies would sell oil obtained from within the United States at less than the internationally set price?

What we need to do is turn this present crisis into a golden opportunity and spend the hundreds of millions in oil company profits on developing new energy sources, and not exploration for more oil. Stop selling misinformation to your readers. Instead, present them with the facts and let them decide.