Illustration by Wade Mickley
Should the Atlantic be opened to oil drilling?
Yes: 24%
If it helps with giving Americans jobs and keeping our gas prices lower in the USA, then I don’t see a problem with it. —Brian, via e-mail
As long as we continue to improve our safety and environmental records, we should drill anywhere in American territory, be it the Gulf, Atlantic, Pacific, or the Arctic. The visual presence of a drilling platform 10 miles off the coast is not a reason to obstruct drilling. It is but a dot on a very large horizon. —Photo Nomad, via e-mail No: 76%
The short-term gains don’t outweigh the long term negative consequences. Earthquakes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters, as well as human error, will inevitably lead to catastrophe. And since when is oil the only source of jobs? How about the jobs that could be created from increased usage of green technologies? That’s where the potential growth is greatest. —Laura Ryan, via e-mail
I wonder how the Outer Banks, Chesapeake Bay, New York Harbor, Long Island, Boston Harbor, and the Lobster fields of Maine will like an oil spill like the one in the Gulf that BP gave us. The oil companies will eventually make a mistake and the whole East Coast will feel the impact. —Dave Henderson, via email
You want to talk jobs? Renewable energy will create tens of thousands of jobs, advance America to the forefront of renewable energy, and help save the environment. —M.P. Crosson, via e-mail
We need to take advantage of what is free. Capture the power of the sun, wind, and water. I would much rather see wind mills far out in the ocean than oil rigs. —Sheila B., via e-mail
Should foreign runners be allowed to win American races?
Yes: 90%
As an American runner, I enjoy competing against runners from other countries. It’s nice to be able to work hard against runners from different backgrounds and heritages. It is also nice to be able to trade stories about different runs and how we may have more in common with someone from another country than we once may have realized.
—William Orndorff, via e-mail
A race is a competition. Runners want to compete and know who is the fastest, regardless of their background.
—Bea, via e-mail
The beautiful thing about running is that there are no leagues, divisions, or major associations seen in organized sports such as football. The fact that an American can compete against an Italian, Kenyan, and Japanese runner at the same time on American soil is one of the unique aspects of running that makes it interesting. The idea is to be the fastest runner, and if that individual happens to be a Slovak, so be it.
—McGinnis, via e-mail
No: 10%
The Kenyans and foreign runners win all of the prize money, depriving American runners of winning races on their home soil. It’s not as exciting to see a pack of foreign runners far ahead of the rest of the American field.
—Louie S., via e-mail
