"Life is like a box of corn."
Posted on 05/04/2008 4:24:50 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO. -- President Bush on Friday defended his emphasis on ethanol to help the nation meet its energy needs even though increased production of the corn-based biofuel has been blamed for contributing to sharp increases in food prices.
"As you know, I'm a ethanol person," he said, explaining his belief that it can help reduce U.S. dependence on oil. "It makes sense for America to be growing energy."
--snip--
On the day the government announced the loss of 20,000 payroll jobs in April, Bush said he recognized the nation was in a difficult period, "but this economy is going to come on."
He also chastised Congress for blocking his initiatives, including a stalled free trade agreement with Colombia, his plan to open Alaska lands and coastal waters to oil and gas exploration, and his proposal to overhaul the government's mortgage program.
He also shifted into a reflective mien, saying to a worker in Dallas with whom he was conversing in a demonstration of a videoconferencing system: "Tell everybody down there, in about 10 months, I'm coming home."
With that end of his administration in sight, the president's remarks brought into focus the flaring issues he faces: the economy, energy costs and, now, food prices.
The president for several years has been promoting the use of ethanol -- which is largely made from corn -- to alleviate the nation's shortage of domestically produced energy.
Critics have focused on the new demand for corn as a factor in driving up food prices.
Bush acknowledged that ethanol has contributed to higher food prices, but said it was not the main reason. He also listed increased energy costs, which affect transportation and fertilizer prices; drought and other weather-related problems; and increased demand stemming from greater prosperity in once-poor nations. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
"Life is like a box of corn."
How about drilling ANWAR!? BTW we have those lovely oil shale concentrations!
How many gallons of gas does it take to produce one gallon of ethanol?
lol
Forrest lil brother, Kernel Gump.
Ethyl Ping.
Ask "Forest Bush". I think the "ethanol man" will be taking it on the road.
If ethanol is such a great idea, why not permit its import instead of subsidizing Archer Daniels Midland to make it out of corn?
Bush pushed for ANWR drilling multiple times. It never went through. Blame Congress, not Bush.
Friggin’ idiot!
How many gallons of water does it take to produce one gallon of ethanol?
First they wanted ethanol, now the enviros don’t because business is benefiting from it.
The president has pushed for ANWR drilling but can he declare an emergency and force the issue over Congress’s head?
I would support that under these circumstances.
The one important part of this whole ethanol nonsense that needs to be said, is not being said.
Right now, the US pays huge subsidies to theoretical farmers to *not* grow crops on their land.
Shouldn’t this practice be stopped immediately, so that we can have *both* food, and their precious ethanol?
We should be growing food and drilling our oil. If Ethanol is such a great thing, use non-food plants instead of corn or sugar.
Non-corn ethanol
The govt subsidies on ethanol production have made the corn farmers, and most other farmers, very happy. Another way to tap the federal teet. I blame the Dems for stopping energy production but this ethanol stuff is BS.
This little fact will be lost on most.
Aliens have taken my President.
Many FR posters are letting the MSM drive their thinking again. Read the articles, look for the quotes ("). I have been a critic of using corn for ethanol too, but the President long ago called for support for research to produce ethanol from non-food, i.e. waste sources, such as sawgrass, so that food sources would not be used and ethanol would be cheaper to produce.
Do you see the power the MSM has in your life? All of us fall victim to it. They leave out critical information and insert text without quotes in the middle of quoted information. Many MSM writers are graduates of left-wing universities and have been taught by left-wing professors (aka Vietnam era draft dodgers with student and teaching deferments). They hate Bush. They hate FREEPERS. They take their greatest pride in manipulating quotes, texts and photos in order to lead people to the the left-wing supported conclusion. This article mentioned critics of the use of corn for ethanol. Why didn't it mention the President's support for research into non-food ethanol sources? QUESTION MSM MATERIAL! Go to Whitehouse.gov and search the White House positions on topics.
Right, but he should pounce on this! Instead of saying "I'm a Ethanol person...", he should reiterate the need for drilling our own oil! Nail it on the dems! He is behaving like he is all hunky-dory with ethanol.
McCain wants to stop the traditional subsidies, but not the ethanol subsidy. My guess is that farmers would probably use the non-subsidized land to grow...corn for ethanol! (But it sounds good in a stump speech.)
McCain also opposes drilling in ANWR.
We are, uh, what's the word? Oh, yes: screwed.
I thought he quit drinking.
Good point re: the MSM.
The sad thing still is that the use of corn at this time when it is a hot commodity as a fuel has rippled across a number of other product areas, not sure how much foresight or lack thereof has contributed or how much the MSM can be blamed for that, but as you mention, you can get ethanol from a number of sources..
I would prefer to drill domestically and use good old crude myself until we do have real and viable low cost energy source that doesn’t need to be subsidized in perpetuity if at all.
Been living around it all my life and couldn’t imagine life without it.
Best place to grow plants for ethanol and solve the problem: Years ago, I toured the German countryside. There were acres upon acres upon acres of yellow flowers. Then, I was told those yellow flowering plants were “hops” for making beer. If Germans stopped making/drinking beer, those acres could be the answer to ethanol production. Surely Germans would give up beer, right?
Here’s hoping we can go back and mine all the landfills across this nation as the research you linked to comes into wide usage.. that ought keep a few lights on and vehicles moving down the roads for a few years.
So you’re saying we’re all gonna have to give up our cars?
Exactly!
"He also chastised Congress for blocking his initiatives, including a stalled free trade agreement with Colombia, his plan to open Alaska lands and coastal waters to oil and gas exploration, and his proposal to overhaul the government's mortgage program."
No, don’t have to give up cars. We’ll “pressure” Germany to give up beer and plant ethanol making plants and that will work since we’ve done so well to “pressure” Iran to stop nuclear enrichment.
"Food for thought"
"Fuel for thought"
I always do! Especially during election year.
It doesn’t matter. Bush is still an absolute MORON to be jumping on board the ethanol express just as everyone else is abandoning ship.
All the liberals I know are already blaming this fiasco on none other than Bush. The liberal propaganda is already being developed: The ethanol crisis is the fault of George Bush and conservative profiteers. And with Bush using the bully pulpit this way, everyone is going to swallow their story, hook, line, and sinker.
He’s making it easy for them. He is a nice guy, but he’s a political moron with a tin ear.
"As you know, I sniff airplane model glue for a hobby." If Bush had said that, would anyone see the difference?
“How many gallons of water does it take to produce one gallon of ethanol?”
1700
As with Social Security reform, he stepped up to the ANWR plate, took a swing and a miss, and said the hell with it. I guess it is more interesting to be "a wartime president" (BTW what ever happend to the "War Czar" he appointed? Never heard from him again.)
A blind man on a fast horse could tell we're being railroaded on ethanol, but yeah, Dubya has climbed on board--next stop, Kyoto. What a disappointment.
Ethanol is a great thing--in Brazil, where they have a gazillion tons of sugar and dirt cheap labor costs. IF W really was "an ethanol guy" he would arrange to drop the tariffs against foreign sugar and import it from Brazil. They're not going to need it for long because ironically, they also now have major oil deposits to develop--off shore in the Atlantic, where we would be too delicate and sensitive about the sea life to explore.
This little fact will be lost on most.
Nothing has been lost. It's just that those who have not lost the ability to observe and evaluate President Bush objectively are honest enough to acknowledge the "little fact" that his "pushes" were merely little pushes, gentle nudges at best...
There have been very few issues during Bush's term in office for which he has actually roused himself, become passionately engaged, made the attempt to take his case directly to the American people over the heads of his opponents and the media, and actually fought tooth and nail for what he claimed to believe.
And, unfortunately, with only a few exceptions such as tax cuts and the necessity for seeing through the Long War, the few things he has fought all-out for, e.g. amnesty for illegals, will prove to be monumentally disastrous for the country.
Of course. The taxpayers buy his cornflakes.
"I have me a sip or two every evenin' just before Laura and I retire for some South Texas Slap and Tickle."
to think that I voted for this moron twice...what does that say about me. (I expect incoming, and deserve it.)
voted twice for him, now I am the idiot.
I’d sooner go on gasoline rationing than loose beer.
If only that were true. In reality, he's an extremely slick operator with a very effective "awe shucks" camouflage persona who has managed to snooker the American people long enough to ram through what history will one day show to have been a monumentally devastating to the country agenda for those he serves.
As to the comment that he's a nice guy, consider this: "What was George W. Bush's job or role in his father George H.W. Bush's administration?".
* Cease all ethanol production. It requires more energy to make than it yields and the unintended consequence is higher food costs. Corn production shifted from feed-corn to subsidized corn for ethanol. Just say "no" to ethanol!
* Immediately create only ONE "blend" of gasoline and cease regional blends which are stupid, costly, and meaningless. Even if this is the "cleanest" blend, just make it ONE and be done with it. Trucking custom blends around the country is wasteful.
* Drill for oil in Alaska, Gulf of Mexico, and other sites in the CONUS as a matter of national security.
* Construct state-of-the-art refineries and/or retrofit current and dormant ones and crank up production.
* Make all “carbon credit” scams unlawful.
* Construct SEVERAL, regional Pebble-Bed Reactors (or other similar designs) that are not considered "breeders", are rechargeable, and cleaner than any current nuclear generator design.
* Use the residual heat from the reactor above to process motor fuel from coal and/or shale. Even though Clinton "stole" some of the best coal reserves, we still have a lot to use.
* Have Iraq pay for its freedom, and maybe even pay us back for their freedom. We'll still need their oil.
* Bust up the cartels or at least be independent enough to make the cartels inconsequential.
* Convince local taxing bodies to lift or fix the sales tax on gasoline so that as gas prices go up, the local tax collectors don’t see a windfall revenue jump at the expense of the consumer.
Well, it’s certainly possible. I think Bush certainly knows what he’s doing when he continues clinton’s China trade policy, which is devastating to our economy.
But he still has a political tin ear. It’s possible to make a lot of money or a lot of deals and get political credit for it. Or it’s possible to constantly catch flak for doing it.
Bush has a real aptitude for catching flak. Contrast it with LBJ, who did more damage to the economy than anyone since Roosevelt, but was actually loved for it, until he got on the wrong side of the Vietnam peaceniks.
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