Obama tells US farmers he backs ethanol mandate

[winnar111]

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama told farmers on Tuesday that he backs the federal requirement to use ethanol as a way to reduce reliance on oil imports.

The alternative fuel, distilled mostly from corn (maize), is popular in farm country, particularly the U.S. Midwest. But sky-high grain prices and rising food prices have led to suggestions to relax the so-called renewable fuels standard.

Federal law calls for use of 9 billion gallons of ethanol as motor fuel this year.




So in camp A, we have someone who promotes unjustified subsidies in unproven technologies and bars cheaper imports to make up the difference. In camp B, we have someone who
wants to remove these obstructions.

You choose!

 

[bamacre]

Ethanol is a horrible substitute for oil. Obama is just pandering.

Hey, it's change we can believe in. :roll:

 

[Genx87]

This is exactly why Obama's alternative fuel mantra is crap. If he gets in, it is another min 4 more years of subsidies to big ag for the worst form of ethanol.

Each year we are stuck on corn ethanol is one more year until we find a real alternative. He may claim to be for other alternatives but that wont happen if the feds are shoving corn down our throats. Nothing but the status quo from the candidate for change.

 

[bamacre]

The market should decide which forms of energy should succeed or fail, not the government. This is absurd.

 

[frostedflakes]

I'd hope Obama's main focus is cellulosic-based ethanol, cornstarch-based ethanol is beyond stupid. The $0.51/gal tax credit for cornstarch-based ethanol is supposed to expire here in the next few years (end of 2010, I believe). Congress has also implemented a $1.01/gal subsidy for cellulosic-based ethanol.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
I'd hope Obama's main focus is....

So is this what Obama's campaign is about? He says one thing, and his supporters "hope" he "changes" his mind?

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: bamacre
The market should decide which forms of energy should succeed or fail, not the government. This is absurd.

Bullshit! Government buying power creates markets that aren't there. Go to the moon and create the technological revolution we are living in today. Invest in alternative energy today and get off oil years ahead of time any natural market will. Markets that proceed purely as is lead to extinction. You will eat your market into a corner and die without intelligent independent interference.

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
I'd hope Obama's main focus is....

So is this what Obama's campaign is about? He says one thing, and his supporters "hope" he "changes" his mind?

No, he also supports Nuclear and he supports dedicating money to go towards the research of alternative fuels and the technology to use it which is more than just ethanol. That's just for starters.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Bullshit! Government buying power creates markets that aren't there.

That's exactly the problem, Moonbeam.

The free market where customers decide what products and services succeed or fail is the most efficient.

When the government is restrained and the people are powerful, we will succeed.

When the people are restrained and the government is powerful, we will fail.

 

[Xavier434]

Originally posted by: bamacre
The market should decide which forms of energy should succeed or fail, not the government. This is absurd.

The market tried, they failed with oil, but they want to continue to milk us dry until they are absolutely forced to switch. Next...

 

[frostedflakes]

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
I'd hope Obama's main focus is....

So is this what Obama's campaign is about? He says one thing, and his supporters "hope" he "changes" his mind?

Wut? Just saying he should focus more on cellulosic ethanol than cornstarch. Anyway, I'm not 100% on this, but I thought I've read that he supports phasing out corn-ethanol subsidies in favor of cellulosic. Corn ethanol doesn't need to be subsidized anymore, and soon enough, cellulosic won't either. Estimated production cost by 2012 is $1-1.25/gal.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Xavier434

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
I'd hope Obama's main focus is....

So is this what Obama's campaign is about? He says one thing, and his supporters "hope" he "changes" his mind?

No, he also supports Nuclear and he supports dedicating money to go towards the research of alternative fuels and the technology to use it which is more than just ethanol. That's just for starters.

That's what he tells you. He tells farmers something else. And he told me a third thing.

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
I'd hope Obama's main focus is cellulosic-based ethanol, cornstarch-based ethanol is beyond stupid. The $0.51/gal tax credit for cornstarch-based ethanol is supposed to expire here in the next few years (end of 2010, I believe). Congress has also implemented a $1.01/gal subsidy for cellulosic-based ethanol.

I gather that his position is that it is transitional, that it is not a long term good solution or the answer to energy independence. Rural America suffers from a lack of opportunity and jobs and corn ethanol is a partial fix for some. He comes from a corn state and would not be a senator there were he opposed to corn in every aspect. Politics is the art of the possible. Obama is intelligent and will deal with truth when he has the political freedom to do so. He needs, first to be elected, and then to have a Democratic congress that will support him. Then and only then can he act fully against the interests of corn.

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

You really think ethanol is Obama's only idea for alternative energy? You morons, he's going to explore EVERY viable option there is.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: Xavier434

Originally posted by: bamacre
The market should decide which forms of energy should succeed or fail, not the government. This is absurd.

The market tried, they failed with oil, but they want to continue to milk us dry until they are absolutely forced to switch. Next...

How has the market failed with oil? It is still cheaper than alternative energy and consumed by the vast majority of the people within our economy.

 

[bamacre]

Originally posted by: Xavier434

Originally posted by: bamacre
The market should decide which forms of energy should succeed or fail, not the government. This is absurd.

The market tried, they failed with oil, but they want to continue to milk us dry until they are absolutely forced to switch. Next...

Yeah, please explain how energy has been managed under a "free market."

And the government forcing ethanol down our throats is one thing that keeps us on oil.

 

[winnar111]

Originally posted by: OneOfTheseDays
You really think ethanol is Obama's only idea for alternative energy? You morons, he's going to explore EVERY viable option there is.

By 'exploring' with an unjustified mandate. Good job!

 

[OneOfTheseDays]

You know how long we've had to refine our oil processes? No new technology is going to compare initially, the point is to start investing the money NOW so we can get to that point with alternative energies SOONER. Idiot Republicans.

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Bullshit! Government buying power creates markets that aren't there.

That's exactly the problem, Moonbeam.

The free market where customers decide what products and services succeed or fail is the most efficient.

When the government is restrained and the people are powerful, we will succeed.

When the people are restrained and the government is powerful, we will fail.

Yup that moon thingi was a fucking failure. There was no market to go to the moon. A fool is somebody who denies what is stuck right up in his face, the glaringly obvious. You should become a Buddhist since you love to chant mantras.

 

[ProfJohn]

Use food to power our cars, good idea.

 

[winnar111]

Originally posted by: OneOfTheseDays
You know how long we've had to refine our oil processes? No new technology is going to compare initially, the point is to start investing the money NOW so we can get to that point with alternative energies SOONER. Idiot Republicans.

Except...he's not really investing money in anything that even might be worthwhile. He's just forcing people to buy his buddies' expensive products.

 

[Genx87]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

Originally posted by: bamacre

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
Bullshit! Government buying power creates markets that aren't there.

That's exactly the problem, Moonbeam.

The free market where customers decide what products and services succeed or fail is the most efficient.

When the government is restrained and the people are powerful, we will succeed.

When the people are restrained and the government is powerful, we will fail.

Yup that moon thingi was a fucking failure. There was no market to go to the moon. A fool is somebody who denies what is stuck right up in his face, the glaringly obvious. You should become a Buddhist since you love to chant mantras.

Why do you always use the Moon in reference to govt created markets? AFAIK the US govt and NASA werent trying to create a market for moon travel when they visited it nearly 4 decades ago. It was a sign of national progress against communism. If it was to create a market for moon travel as you seem to be implying, it failed miserably because they havent been back since. I wouldnt use it as a success story for your fantasy of successful govt created markets.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: Moonbeam

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
I'd hope Obama's main focus is cellulosic-based ethanol, cornstarch-based ethanol is beyond stupid. The $0.51/gal tax credit for cornstarch-based ethanol is supposed to expire here in the next few years (end of 2010, I believe). Congress has also implemented a $1.01/gal subsidy for cellulosic-based ethanol.

I gather that his position is that it is transitional, that it is not a long term good solution or the answer to energy independence. Rural America suffers from a lack of opportunity and jobs and corn ethanol is a partial fix for some. He comes from a corn state and would not be a senator there were he opposed to corn in every aspect. Politics is the art of the possible. Obama is intelligent and will deal with truth when he has the political freedom to do so. He needs, first to be elected, and then to have a Democratic congress that will support him. Then and only then can he act fully against the interests of corn.

:laugh:

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: Xavier434

Originally posted by: bamacre
The market should decide which forms of energy should succeed or fail, not the government. This is absurd.

The market tried, they failed with oil, but they want to continue to milk us dry until they are absolutely forced to switch. Next...

Oil failed? You are the fail, not oil. Oil is very efficient.

 

[heyheybooboo]

Originally posted by: frostedflakes
I'd hope Obama's main focus is cellulosic-based ethanol, cornstarch-based ethanol is beyond stupid. The $0.51/gal tax credit for cornstarch-based ethanol is supposed to expire here in the next few years (end of 2010, I believe). Congress has also implemented a $1.01/gal subsidy for cellulosic-based ethanol.

+1

Non-food cellulosic materials. Time to phase out the corn ...