Okay, I believe that we are held hostage to OPEC. I believe we run on energy, and throughout history the survival of empires depends on energy! (i read that in a book)


We have a LOT of farm land, and recently we've had this new fuel Ethanol which runs on plants. The reason this fuel is so critical is not that it is green, but that it is home grown. 1/4 of the consumer spending and government spending goes into oil. If we take away this liability and replace it with a asset, we not only cut off our dead arab hand, but we grow a third leg - if you know what i mean

Ethanol is not green - a french study showed producing it causes more greenhouse gasses than the combustion of an equivalent amount of gasoline. I call for a gradually decreasing quota of foreign oil until there are no imports, maybe over 25 years. The diverted corn will make food prices go up, but we may just have to bite the bullet.

__________________
Blade: "more educated and literate people than Justabubba"

Justabubba: "that would include everyone"

http://politicalforum.com/showthread.php?t=27847

Not only would people whine about high gas prices, but they'd whine about $5 an ear corn at the grocery store.

Ethanol is becoming more and more a pipe dream. It takes WAY too much product, and manpower to produce a gallon of fuel.

It's perfect!

Think about it -

Small business gets "most" of the money (ie, it goes to where it's supposed to) -

And, people get jobs - check -

And, infrastructure gets improved - check -

And, all that extra tax money, might mean, "maybe", we might even be able to get away without a tax hike - bonus! -

And, all those businesses, end up spending some of that money on goods and services, so further stimulus to the economy - check -

And none of the money goes to China! - check!!!

What do you think?

Here's a better plan.

__________________
"All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident." - Schopenhauer

Exactly correct - the ethanol fantasy has traction because people want a magic bullet - and their isn't any. So what is needed is many innovations that have an incremental effect.

__________________
Blade: "more educated and literate people than Justabubba"

Justabubba: "that would include everyone"

http://politicalforum.com/showthread.php?t=27847

The issue to energy is simple, Hydrogen Fusion Reactors

What about no government intervention into the free market? That helps the economy.

On the further note, even if the free market system didn't work well (NOT THE CASE AT ALL), it is still immoral to object to two parties trading if they agree to do so. Government restriction on trade is business as the point of a gun.

Ever check out how much petroleum it takes to grow enough corn for a gallon of ethanol? Fertilizer is made from petroleum. The tractor that plowed the ground used diesel. The trucks that hauled the corn use diesel. The process of fermentation and distillation take energy in one form or another.

Until we learn to make ethanol out of agricultural waste, it won't be an answer to the economy or to energy independence.

Here is a more promising new technology:

http://discovermagazine.com/2006/apr/anything-oil/

__________________
Loving your country doesn't mean loving its leaders!

Ain't gonna happen baby! We just love Black Water!

Modern civilization needs Black Water or it dies, there is no other way! I would say that civilization would die without getting Black Water within a couple days just like humans with water. So get used to it. You like these toys and the cars and electricity? Civilization sure is a thirsty beast!

Theres 2 types of people in civilization: the cheaters and cheated. Guess what my friend, you and I are the cheated!