Posted on 04/22/2008 9:04:11 AM PDT by Virginia Ridgerunner
The willingness to try, fail and try again is the essence of scientific progress. The same sometimes holds true for public policy. It is in this spirit that today, Earth Day, we call upon Congress to revisit recently enacted federal mandates requiring the diversion of foodstuffs for production of biofuels. These "food-to-fuel" mandates were meant to move America toward energy independence and mitigate global climate change. But the evidence irrefutably demonstrates that this policy is not delivering on either goal. In fact, it is causing environmental harm and contributing to a growing global food crisis.
Food-to-fuel mandates were created for the right reasons. The hope of using American-grown crops to fuel our cars seemed like a win-win-win scenario: Our farmers would enjoy the benefit of crop-price stability. Our national security would be enhanced by having a new domestic energy source. Our environment would be protected by a cleaner fuel. But the likelihood of these outcomes was never seriously tested, and new evidence has shown that the justifications for these mandates were inaccurate.
(snip)
Taking these together -- the environmental damage, the human pain of food price inflation, the failure to reduce our dependence on oil -- it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that food-to-fuel mandates have failed. Congress took a big chance on biofuels that, unfortunately, has not worked out. Now, in the spirit of progress, let us learn the appropriate lessons from this setback, and let us act quickly to mitigate the damage and set upon a new course that holds greater promise for meeting the challenges ahead.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
The dumbest thing mankind has ever done, to use food for fuel when people are starving.
So whose bad idea was that in the first place?
Go ahead. Wave the magic policy wand and remove biofuels, subsidies, etc.
Heck, go so far as to ban them completely.
Watch as food prices continue to go up and up and up.
As long as diesel fuel, fertilizer, steel, copper, etc go up in price, food will go up in price. Bet the farm on it.
Same thing will happen with fluorescent light bulbs too. They always have these knee jerk reactions, then come to regret it later, and thus causing another knee jerk reaction. Circle jerk.
Sooo, we could redirect all of our corn and only get a total of 4% of our current fuel use? And the politicians thought this was a good idea when they passed the initiatives?
They should know from past experience, however, that no bad liberal idea EVER gets undone. (and they’re usually ok with that) In fact, the usual prescription is more of the same bad medicine that got us sick in the first place. I don’t see this situation as being any different.
Politicians think it's a GREAT idea. It makes farmers happy. And the likes of Archer-Daniels-Midland happy. Keep those campaign contributions a-rollin' in. Who cares if working stiffs are paying more for bread and beef? They only vote. They don't fork over the campaign cash.
We used to use cropland for “fuel” in Ye Olde Days: It was called “hay” and it was fed to draft animals in prodigious amounts. Heck, we used to have more land in hay/pasture ground for horses than we currently have in corn for ethanol.
And back in those days, wretches in what are today Third World countries starved and Americans had affordable food.
Mankind has done it before. We’ll do it again. And neither back then, nor today, nor tomorrow, will it affect how many ignorant, lazy, shiftless idiots starve in the Third World.
Ethanol isn't even a fuel, as used. It's a diluent, like adding styrofoam to popcorn to reduce calories.
Fewer miles/Gallon with ehanol blends = No Free Lunch.
How about this environuts, to replace the energy gained from using bio fuels how about we allow more drilling for oil? Otherwise no deal!
Using food as fuel while refusing to explore domestic sources of Oil and Gas is criminal.
Mark my words: In a couple of years, Congress will be demanding studies, reports, and investigations into mercury contamination at sites throughout the country, thereby breathing new life into Superfund.
Time to buy a lottery ticket. The WaPo has written something with which for once I actually agree.
I can’t believe the WashPost printed this
I never seemd like a win scenario for anyone bu archer daniels midlands and their corn growers. Ethanol has been, is, and always will be a fraud perpetrated upon the taxpaying public to benefir a small specific sector of the economy. Bush knowingly went along with it to pay off his big republican supportes in the corn states.
repeal it after only five months. Nice.
One can only hope that they repeal it as soon as they can. The sooner the better for all of us and SCREW THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN SUCKING DOWN TAX MONEY BECAUSE OF THIS FRAUD!!
I wouldn’t blame it all on the Rats. I’ll bet there are plenty of midwestern RINOs who worship at the altar of Agribusiness.
Agreed. Even though it was Pelosi and Reid who pushed it through, Bush signed it, and so they’re all culpable in this.
It should have never been passed.
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