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Stop The Ethanol Madness

This website has weighed in repeatedly against the ongoing government subsidization of ethanol, but the recent rise in gas prices (despite a decline in the cost of crude oil) has us raising this chorus once again. As we’ve noted in previous posts, the federal government requires oil and gas companies…

This website has weighed in repeatedly against the ongoing government subsidization of ethanol, but the recent rise in gas prices (despite a decline in the cost of crude oil) has us raising this chorus once again.

As we’ve noted in previous posts, the federal government requires oil and gas companies to purchase and blend a set amount of ethanol in their fuels each year. In fact the amount is set to increase from 13.8 billion gallons a year ago to 14.4 billion gallons this year. Why? Because government is trying to prop up an inefficient industry – and it doesn’t care what this market manipulation does to our fuel (and our food) prices.

The blame for this ridiculous mandate (created in 2007) falls on both parties – yet neither party seems willing to do anything about it. In 2012 both U.S. President Barack Obama and “Republican” nominee Mitt Romney were in the tank for “Big Ethanol,” and Obama has shown no interest in revising or eliminating the subsidy during his second term.

From this week’s editions of The Wall Street Journal, the case against government mismanagement is laid bare.

“Washington’s seers were wildly wrong about how much gas Americans would keep putting in their tanks,” the paper notes. “In 2007 annual gasoline consumption was about 140 billion gallons per year, with forecasts of rising demand. But the 2008-09 recession and better fuel economy have lowered consumption to an estimated 135 billion gallons. Refiners are now crashing into what is called a ‘blend wall,’ meaning the feds have forced them to purchase more ethanol than they can safely put in their gasoline.”

Gotta love it when government tries to dictate supply and demand in pursuit of its “green” agenda, right?

Ethanol is a bust, people … a terrible fuel alternative … yet rather than acknowledge this reality the government keeps trying to prop it up. And would-be presidents courting the votes of Iowa corn farmers keep pledging their support for these subsidies, too.

Like we said several months ago, “enough is enough …” a point The Journal agrees with.

“The (Environmental Protection Agency) has the authority to revise the ethanol requirements, and if it did so tomorrow the price of gas would quickly fall by about five to 10 cents a gallon,” The Journal concludes. “If EPA won’t act, Congress can and should suspend the ethanol blending mandate to give motorists a break.”

Will that happen?

Don’t bet on it …

***

 

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53 comments

BigT March 12, 2013 at 10:55 am

Obama is taking a backlash from Sequester and democrats are whining outloud to Politico that Obama is damaging their chances in 2014. (PLEASE let us GET the Senate)…
And this self-proclaimed “political media” outlet is crying because Obama is doing what liberal dum@$$#$ do…especialy after FITS swore there was no difference between Obama and Romney…
Forgive me: but SC suffers from Trash, silver spoons and brats (like Sanford) in office.
But the media SUCKS just as bad as some of the office-holders.
And FITS, by being so out-of-touch w/ the news, is just as incompetent as Sanford proved to be…
FITS: when you bitch about Sc being backwards…remember: your blissful and talent-less @$$ is at the top of the list…

Reply
Red(neck) State March 12, 2013 at 11:37 am

“Forgive me: but SC suffers from Trash, silver spoons and brats (like Sanford) in office.”

So, that’s why we have so many Republicans ’round here…

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 11:48 am

Reneck…Republicans are NOT the problem. it’s Republicans who act like TRASH and Democrats.
You come across as a dumb@$$, who has trouble w/ comprension..are you one of those Obama @$$-kissin’ liberals who is responsible for him, and the Miserable Economy he is giving us?

Reply
Red(neck) State March 12, 2013 at 12:20 pm

Republicans who, as you say, act like trash and Democrats vote Republican? Yeah, I just might have trouble with comprehension, but not in spelling it. At least get a spell checker, dumb@$$.

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 12:44 pm

Sanford is unfit for the GOP because he is a dirtbag, like Clinton and John Edwards…(unpunished heroes of the left)…
On top of that: Obama may be the BIGGEST Liar we’ve ever seen…and Sanford is a liar too.
Liars like Sanford, FITS and Obama are destroying this country.
Is that Clear enough…???
PS: Get a BRAIN CHECK Dumb@$$. Spelling is a correctable mistake. Being an ignorant, Brain Dead Liberal is a DISEASE….

shifty henry March 12, 2013 at 1:13 pm

The answer to the puzzler is—
BigTroubadour slept with the King — it’s a fairy tale!

Isotope Soap March 12, 2013 at 1:12 pm

Republican can mean anything these days. Let us know what the GOP wants to be when it grows up. Better hurry up, 2014 will be here before you know it. Any early predictions? Lol…

Guest March 12, 2013 at 1:24 pm

Sorry, Red. That was meant for Bigums.

BigT March 12, 2013 at 1:42 pm

Obama = Miserable Economy, Trillions in Deficit, Unemployment, More Taxes, Housing Collapse, Solyndra, Ashamed of America, Skyrocket gas prices, Racial Hatred, “You didn’t build that,” Failure, Prosecuting hospitals for being pro-life, voting for REVENGE, forcing churhces to perform gay marriage ceremonies…
Long as the GOP runs away from all those Obama initiaves, …that’s what matters…

BigT March 12, 2013 at 10:55 am

Obama is taking a backlash from Sequester and democrats are whining outloud to Politico that Obama is damaging their chances in 2014. (PLEASE let us GET the Senate)…
And this self-proclaimed “political media” outlet is crying because Obama is doing what liberal dum@$$#$ do…especialy after FITS swore there was no difference between Obama and Romney…
Forgive me: but SC suffers from Trash, silver spoons and brats (like Sanford) in office.
But the media SUCKS just as bad as some of the office-holders.
And FITS, by being so out-of-touch w/ the news, is just as incompetent as Sanford proved to be…
FITS: when you bitch about Sc being backwards…remember: your blissful and talent-less @$$ is at the top of the list…

Reply
Red(neck) State March 12, 2013 at 11:37 am

“Forgive me: but SC suffers from Trash, silver spoons and brats (like Sanford) in office.”

So, that’s why we have so many Republicans ’round here…

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 11:48 am

Reneck…Republicans are NOT the problem. it’s Republicans who act like TRASH and Democrats.
You come across as a dumb@$$, who has trouble w/ comprension..are you one of those Obama @$$-kissin’ liberals who is responsible for him, and the Miserable Economy he is giving us?

Reply
Red(neck) State March 12, 2013 at 12:20 pm

Republicans who, as you say, act like trash and Democrats vote Republican? Yeah, I just might have trouble with comprehension, but not in spelling it. At least get a spell checker, dumb@$$.

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 12:44 pm

Sanford is unfit for the GOP because he is a dirtbag, like Clinton and John Edwards…(unpunished heroes of the left)…
On top of that: Obama may be the BIGGEST Liar we’ve ever seen…and Sanford is a liar too.
Liars like Sanford, FITS and Obama are destroying this country.
Is that Clear enough…???
PS: Get a BRAIN CHECK Dumb@$$. Spelling is a correctable mistake. Being an ignorant, Brain Dead Liberal is a DISEASE….

shifty henry March 12, 2013 at 1:13 pm

The answer to the puzzler is—
BigTroubadour slept with the King — it’s a fairy tale!

John Boy March 12, 2013 at 1:12 pm

Republican can mean anything these days. Let us know what the GOP wants to be when it grows up. Better hurry up, 2014 will be here before you know it. Any early predictions? Lol…

Guest March 12, 2013 at 1:24 pm

Sorry, Red. That was meant for Bigums.

BigT March 12, 2013 at 1:42 pm

Obama = Miserable Economy, Trillions in Deficit, Unemployment, More Taxes, Housing Collapse, Solyndra, Ashamed of America, Skyrocket gas prices, Racial Hatred, “You didn’t build that,” Failure, Prosecuting hospitals for being pro-life, voting for REVENGE, forcing churhces to perform gay marriage ceremonies…
Long as the GOP runs away from all those Obama initiaves, …that’s what matters…

EthanolNotSubsidized March 12, 2013 at 11:26 am

Ethanol is no longer subsidized. Congress let the blenders tax credit expire at the end of 2011.

Reply
Please March 12, 2013 at 11:41 am

And my local gas station sells ethanol-free gas

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 12:00 pm

You can drive 5 miles out the way and pay 20 cents morea gallon for a cheaper to produce product that is just a Green as the crap Ethanol…
Liberalism…gotta love it.

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 11:58 am

If that’s true, it will STOP immediatley. W/o Government propping it up..Ethanol’s a BIG, Impractical money loser…
Liberals LOVE wasting our money to feel good about themselves. I don’t believe you. Obama ain’t cut nothin’… But if you were right, you can say “good-bye” to Ethanol.

Reply
dwb619 March 12, 2013 at 2:43 pm

Geez, big idio”T”, for once I agree with you, somewhat.Ethanol is a big scheme. However, it was concocted under “W’s”, administration and pushed by the agricultural lobby. They are far from a liberal bastion.
If this country was smart, manufacture the ethanol from switch grass, it has a net energy yield of about 6 to 1, compared to corns 1.25 to 1. Argentina weaned itself from gas by using cane as their ethanol source. The biggest deterrent to switch grass appears to be the fact that it isn’t traded on the commodities market. FYI, switch grass is what has been referred to in our history as PRARIE GRASS, it grew naturally until the invention of the plow.
Ethanol also has a one third penalty in miles per gallon.

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 4:55 pm

Bush made some STUPID mistakes listening to Karl Rove and trying to get along w/ Liberals who HATED him…
We need to ELIMINATE all “play-pretty” moderate-libertarians like FITS and Co. from the GOP so we can go RIGHT and bring this country back from the destruction of the left…

Reply
? March 12, 2013 at 9:23 pm

“Ethanol is no longer subsidized. ”

That’s not quite true,the funding mechanism changed:

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/01/ethanol-subsidies-not-gone-just-hidden-little-better

Reply
EthanolNotSubsidized March 12, 2013 at 11:26 am

Ethanol is no longer subsidized. Congress let the blenders tax credit expire at the end of 2011.

Reply
Please March 12, 2013 at 11:41 am

And my local gas station sells ethanol-free gas

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 12:00 pm

You can drive 5 miles out the way and pay 20 cents morea gallon for a cheaper to produce product that is just a Green as the crap Ethanol…
Liberalism…gotta love it.

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 11:58 am

If that’s true, it will STOP immediatley. W/o Government propping it up..Ethanol’s a BIG, Impractical money loser…
Liberals LOVE wasting our money to feel good about themselves. I don’t believe you. Obama ain’t cut nothin’… But if you were right, you can say “good-bye” to Ethanol.

Reply
dwb619 March 12, 2013 at 2:43 pm

Geez, big idio”T”, for once I agree with you, somewhat.Ethanol is a big scheme. However, it was concocted under “W’s”, administration and pushed by the agricultural lobby. They are far from a liberal bastion.
If this country was smart, manufacture the ethanol from switch grass, it has a net energy yield of about 6 to 1, compared to corns 1.25 to 1. Argentina weaned itself from gas by using cane as their ethanol source. The biggest deterrent to switch grass appears to be the fact that it isn’t traded on the commodities market. FYI, switch grass is what has been referred to in our history as PRARIE GRASS, it grew naturally until the invention of the plow.
Ethanol also has a one third penalty in miles per gallon.

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 4:55 pm

Bush made some STUPID mistakes listening to Karl Rove and trying to get along w/ Liberals who HATED him…
We need to ELIMINATE all “play-pretty” moderate-libertarians like FITS and Co. from the GOP so we can go RIGHT and bring this country back from the destruction of the left…

Reply
? March 12, 2013 at 9:23 pm

“Ethanol is no longer subsidized. ”

That’s not quite true,the funding mechanism changed:

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/01/ethanol-subsidies-not-gone-just-hidden-little-better

Reply
Philip Branton March 12, 2013 at 11:30 am

So…we wonder just what local fuel Mr Fits (and Mrs Mace) would locally promote instead of Big foreign Oil……??? At least offer a choice for the readers to think about.

Reply
Vanguard16 March 12, 2013 at 12:57 pm

Fits writes articles like this but offers not facts to back up what he’s saying. Let’s see the facts, FITS!!

Reply
Philip Branton March 12, 2013 at 11:30 am

So…we wonder just what local fuel Mr Fits (and Mrs Mace) would locally promote instead of Big foreign Oil……??? At least offer a choice for the readers to think about.

Reply
Vanguard16 March 12, 2013 at 12:57 pm

Fits writes articles like this but offers not facts to back up what he’s saying. Let’s see the facts, FITS!!

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 11:51 am

It costs MORE to produce a gallon of ethanol than it’s worth.
Yet liberals FEEL good because they are told it’s “green”…
Just like Solyndra and Windmills. Liberals will WASTE our money to make themselves feel good while they dialogue ignorantly over at the Coffe shop about what great World Citizens they are…when the Dumb@$$#$ are actually causing more polluition…

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 11:51 am

It costs MORE to produce a gallon of ethanol than it’s worth.
Yet liberals FEEL good because they are told it’s “green”…
Just like Solyndra and Windmills. Liberals will WASTE our money to make themselves feel good while they dialogue ignorantly over at the Coffe shop about what great World Citizens they are…when the Dumb@$$#$ are actually causing more polluition…

Reply
Vanguard16 March 12, 2013 at 1:41 pm

Just got my permit from TTB for a small producer of ethanol fuel. I can produce up to 10,000 gallons per year.

I can produce 192 – 194 proof ethanol for $1.80~/gallon. Run it through a molecular sieve to kick it up to 200 proof. Mix 7 pints with a pint of gasoline, BOOM! Two buck gas, kiss my ass!!

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 2:55 pm

When you get sued for tearing up peoples’ car, you better have an attorney…because the law suits should be coming soon. Ethanol tears up motors…

Reply
Vanguard16 March 12, 2013 at 4:04 pm

Uhhh, I have a flex fuel vehicle and its for my use, not for resale.

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 4:51 pm

How long before your Stupid @$$ figures out it costs $6 to produce a gallon of fuel..and then costs you $10,000 in engine repair on a car that cost you $20,000 more than the $7,000 tax credit Obama gave you to buy it…
Liberals are stupid as H#!! when it comes to simple addition…look at Obama’s deficit, that he claimed he reduced…

Reply
Vanguard16 March 12, 2013 at 1:41 pm

Just got my permit from TTB for a small producer of ethanol fuel. I can produce up to 10,000 gallons per year.

I can produce 192 – 194 proof ethanol for $1.80~/gallon. Run it through a molecular sieve to kick it up to 200 proof. Mix 7 pints with a pint of gasoline, BOOM! Two buck gas, kiss my ass!!

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 2:55 pm

When you get sued for tearing up peoples’ car, you better have an attorney…because the law suits should be coming soon. Ethanol tears up motors…

Reply
Vanguard16 March 12, 2013 at 4:04 pm

Uhhh, I have a flex fuel vehicle and its for my use, not for resale.

Reply
BigT March 12, 2013 at 4:51 pm

How long before your Stupid @$$ figures out it costs $6 to produce a gallon of fuel..and then costs you $10,000 in engine repair on a car that cost you $20,000 more than the $7,000 tax credit Obama gave you to buy it…
Liberals are stupid as H#!! when it comes to simple addition…look at Obama’s deficit, that he claimed he reduced…

Reply
Vanguard16 March 12, 2013 at 4:08 pm

The model T was built to run on ethanol, gasoline, or both. Ethanol has been in gasoline since the 70’s.

Reply
Vanguard16 March 12, 2013 at 4:08 pm

The model T was built to run on ethanol, gasoline, or both. Ethanol has been in gasoline since the 70’s.

Reply
Rich Harrison March 12, 2013 at 5:10 pm

Unfortunately, the Ethanol Subsidy is only one part of the insanity. The military’s research into bio fuel is outrageously expensive and never likely to replace the use of fossil fuel in the military. If you want a in-depth article about this topic, check out US Navy Captain T. A. ‘Ike’ Kiefer’s paper entitled “Twenty-First Century Snake Oil: Why the United States Should Reject Biofuels as Part of a Rational national Security Energy Strategy” at http://bit.ly/XGxqUz

Reply
Rich Harrison March 12, 2013 at 5:10 pm

Unfortunately, the Ethanol Subsidy is only one part of the insanity. The military’s research into bio fuel is outrageously expensive and never likely to replace the use of fossil fuel in the military. If you want a in-depth article about this topic, check out US Navy Captain T. A. ‘Ike’ Kiefer’s paper entitled “Twenty-First Century Snake Oil: Why the United States Should Reject Biofuels as Part of a Rational national Security Energy Strategy” at http://bit.ly/XGxqUz

Reply
Crooner March 12, 2013 at 5:23 pm

We’ll have ethanol in our gas as long as Iowa has the first presidential contest.

Reply
Crooner March 12, 2013 at 5:23 pm

We’ll have ethanol in our gas as long as Iowa has the first presidential contest.

Reply
ColaTown March 13, 2013 at 6:51 am

For the record, corn ethanol is as bipartisan an issue as it gets, so commenters can save the liberal-bashing for something more deserving. Case in point: how about the Mexican-made mid-western-corn-powered SUV used by the Commissioner of Agriculture? SC imports about 90% of the corn we use, so that vehicle is a double insult. Some better SC options include sweet potatoes, poultry fat, and yes, hemp. And a BMW. Leadership from the top on this issue could make an important difference.

Reply

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