Time for oil industry to show more respect to workers, public

I agree with USA TODAY's editorial "With crude at $100 a barrel, Big Oil needs no tax breaks" (Our view, Gasoline prices debate, April 2).

The billions of dollars in tax breaks given to oil companies should be returned to our government for investment in the research and development of clean alternative fuels and technologies. To me, that makes a lot more sense than requiring the oil industry to invest in alternatives, as some in Congress want to do.

What I would like to see Congress do is put pressure on the oil industry to show more respect for the public interest. For example, I'd love for Big Oil to do more to avoid spills, to fix leaky pipelines, and to run safe and updated refineries.

And maybe the oil industry also could be pressured or encouraged to distribute more of it enormous profits to its lower-level workers, ...