Readers Write (March 27): Gas prices, health care, Vikings stadium, Scientology,

The March 24 story "Lawmakers say 'excessive' speculation drives up gas prices" seeks balance by giving the other side of the issue with regard to the impact of speculation in oil trading. Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota are right, however, that speculation has caused unfair prices. Even Goldman Sachs, in a research report from last year, acknowledges this fact.

Consumers are paying an extra Wall Street "speculative premium" every time they fill their tank. Not only is that unfair (as the senators rightly contend), but high energy prices also slow our economic recovery.

Our agency, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, is trying to implement trading limits on Wall Street speculation, but guess what: Wall Street speculators have been in federal court for months trying to stop us.

Despite these delay tactics, regulators will keep making efforts to do what the senators, and the law, require: implement thoughtful limits on the amount of speculation in these critically important markets.

BART CHILTON, WASHINGTON, D.C.

The writer is commissioner of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

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But the column oversimplified a couple key issues. Wieffering states that Exxon's profit in 2011 increased by "only" $10 billion. It's true that its profit margin pales in comparison to high-tech companies like Apple, but it looks pretty healthy compared with most other industries like, say, retail food sales, where margins are typically in the lower single digits.

Wieffering says that most of Exxon's revenue goes to "getting oil out of the ground" and getting it to consumers. But large chunks also go to executive compensation (Exxon's CEO made close to $30 million in 2011) and to lobbying efforts. The oil and gas industry spent nearly $150 million on lobbying in 2011 -- and that's just the reported amount.

The biggest issue Wieffering missed, though, is the cost to the planet of our continuing reliance on fossil fuels. Even at $4 and $5 a gallon, gas prices aren't high enough to force us to change our high-pollution energy habits. Getting oil companies to drill more wells is exactly the wrong choice if we want to begin to get serious about climate change.

DOUG WILHIDE, MINNEAPOLIS

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This is what we did for former Vice President Dick Cheney, who has suffered five heart attacks and was in end-stage heart failure. He has taxpayer-funded health insurance for life because of his service in the Congress and in the White House.

This insurance covered the cost of a heart transplant ($997,700). This is how a thoughtful and caring society operates. What haunts me is that there are 45,000 U.S. deaths per year -- or one every 12 minutes -- due to lack of health insurance, according to Harvard Medical School researchers.

I wish Cheney a speedy recovery. When he's up and about again, I hope he champions -- on his speaker circuit -- health care for all Americans. We all deserve the same coverage that he has!

TODD KOLOD, ST. PAUL

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PAT MANION, MINNETONKA

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The Vikings should not walk away with a bonus that exceeds their contribution to the project. Legislators: Don't let this one slip through your fingers.

HARALD ERIKSEN, BROOKLYN PARK

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In the face of Scientology's immense popularity, a detractor invented a false rumor that Hubbard once remarked that the way to make a million dollars was to start a religion. Per the rumor, this statement was made at a 1948 Science Fiction association convention.

We have affidavits proving that the statement was never made at the convention, and it is also important to note that two separate courts have issued judgments finding that attributing the statement to Hubbard constitutes a false claim -- with both courts enjoining publications from printing these statements, and another publication printing a full retraction.

The truth is that Hubbard was a prolific writer of fiction -- one of the best-paid writers of his day.

These earnings funded his research of the mind and the spiritual nature of man, which eventually led to founding the Church of Scientology. Hubbard donated a great portion of his estate to Scientology, and to this day royalties from the sales of his books benefit the church and the Scientology religion.

Scientology is the only major religion to emerge in the 20th century. At the time of Hubbard's death, there were 501 churches, missions and groups in 60 countries.

NANCY SCHUMACHER, ST. PAUL

The writer is director of public affairs for the Church of Scientology of Minnesota.

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