Awful Ethanol

The terrible consequences of government subsidies for ethanol are becoming apparent. Politicians looking for votes from farmers have lavishly subsidized ethanol by 51 cents per gallon, and imposed a tariff on foreign ethanol.

This has led farmers to devote more land to ethanol and less to food. This in turn decreased the supply of food and raised food prices. This is bad enough in America, but riots have broken out across the Third World, where people face the danger of starvation.

And ethanol isn't a valid alternative to oil because it takes as much or more gasoline to run farm equipment, make fertilizer, and ship it by truck, since it can't be shipped by pipeline to the danger of impurities. Ethanol also yields fewer miles per gallon.

The politicians in Congress who promoted ethanol, and who believed that they could best decide what energy people should use should be ashamed of themselves. But will they?

Previous:
That Awful Energy Bill
Alternative Energy Inanity
Ethanol is not the Answer

Further Reading:
Ross Kamisky: Do-gooders and Politicians Support Faulty Ethanol Policy
Deroy Murdock: Global Food Riots: Made in Washington, D.C.
Arthur Robinson: Nobel Prize for Death
Walter Williams: Big Corn and Ethanol Hoax