Republicans have no answers for our energy problems

Regarding U.S. Rep. Elton Gallegly's opinion of May 22, he told us to "wake up" on oil dependency. Presumably he doesn't want the pathetic spectacle of President Bush begging the Saudis to pump more oil and being told to get lost (I kid you not).

Even if we allow his beloved oil companies to drill in his beloved Arctic National Wildlife Reserve, we won't see a drop for 15 years. It's in the Arctic.

He says that oil companies need assistance to build refineries. After making record profits?

He says we must "unleash American ingenuity."

Here is a news flash: It's been unleashed already. He's the one who must wake up.

Mr. Gallegly will have to be run over by a Toyota Prius to realize that ingenious Americans are clamoring for hybrids. Recent articles in the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times and the Associated Press have reported further ingenuity.

Americans are now clamoring for scooters. I've been unleashing ingenuity on my Vespa for seven months. It gets 71 mpg.

Senior Republicans are worried that their "brand is stale," and would be "taken off the shelves if it were dog food."

It's not hard to see why.

Gallegly brings us crocodile tears over Girl Scouts, not realistic policy solutions. Raymond Freeman Thousand Oaks