The Corn Threat

NRO ^ | 22 Feb 07 | Dave Juday

[rellimpank]

President Bush proposed in his State of the Union speech a plan for renewable energy that his own press shop and their surrogates called “bold.” A better description would be “reckless.” A history of how Bush got to this point is instructive.

In the summer of 2005, President Bush saw one of his greatest domestic-policy victories — the passage of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, a victory that was four full years in the making. Indeed, enacting a comprehensive energy policy was one of Bush’s key campaign points during the 2000 presidential campaign

[frogjerk]

Forget about corn, use cane sugar like Brazil.

[P-40]

I think the National Review has been taken over by some absolute nutjobs.

[Viking2002]

For a second there, I thought the article was about ol' Lizard Lips.............

[TWohlford]

This program will be one of the greatest corporate giveaways in history. Sadly, it likely will turn out to be a huge boondoggle as well, providing more proof that government spending on technology usually is a boondoggle equal to the amount of spending.

If ever bit of US farm land was planted in corn, then we'd offset 10% of our oil needs. After about 6 weeks of having no food, there would be enough starvation so that we'd solve global warming as well.

[BuffaloJack]

Forget corn and sugarcane. Let's use up the world's supply of rice.

[rellimpank]

--yep--and then there are the dimwits that think we can do it with sugar cane--all that would require would be moving the equator north and making it rain more---

[dirtboy]

Forget about corn, use cane sugar like Brazil.

We have to provide tariff protection to domestic sugar growers already.

[BuffaloJack]

Actually, let's find out what the muzzie nourishment staple is and convert it all into alcohol. We can then charge $20 a pound for any we don't convert to fuel.

[dirtboy]

I think the National Review has been taken over by some absolute nutjobs.

Please point out what you think is nutty about the article in question. Sounds like a classic tale of what happens to markets when government gets involved.

[mmyers]

I understand the bi-product from ethanol is feed for livestock, no mention of that.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Forget about corn, use cane sugar like Brazil."

Can't. Sugar cane has very limited growing area in the US--mostly right along the Gulf Coast and in Florida. Needs lots of sun and lots of rain. Corn, OTOH, grows most everywhere in the US.

[READINABLUESTATE]

all that would require would be moving the equator north and making it rain more---


ROTFLMAO good one!

[P-40]

Please point out what you think is nutty about the article in question.

It starts out with a blanket condemnation of a broad policy initiative, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and quickly focuses on one area of the alternative energy market, ethanol, and then proceeds to show that the author knows next to nothing about ethanol and the emerging ethanol market. How National Review can come up with something like this is almost beyond me...except I can believe it because I heard their editor talking about childless couples getting a 'free ride' on retirement.

[dirtboy]

It starts out with a blanket condemnation of a broad policy initiative, the Energy Policy Act of 2005, and quickly focuses on one area of the alternative energy market, ethanol, and then proceeds to show that the author knows next to nothing about ethanol and the emerging ethanol market.

Emerging? As the author noted, ethanol has been a baby trying to learn to walk on its own for decades.

Meanwhile, the price of foods such as meat and eggs is spiking as the government tries to make the baby even fatter.

[mmyers]

When cell phone first came out, they were huge and cost $3,000 per. Now they are razor thin and free. We need to give this some time and also drill in Alaska.

[Jacquerie]

"Sounds like a classic tale of what happens to markets when government gets involved."

Government manipulation of markets guarantees only thing, more central planning by unelected, unaccountable commissars. It is a shame that any freeper supports this nonsense.

[P-40]

ethanol has been a baby trying to learn to walk on its own for decades.

As I pointed out, the 2005 Energy Bill covered many markets, not just ethanol. And ethanol production has near squat to do with the cost of eggs and meat.

[P-40]

We need to give this some time and also drill in Alaska.

We need to be exploiting *all* our domestic options.

[wku man]

No, that would be Cornhole...

Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!