Political & Elections

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tag/tom-coburn

White House against a pure bill that would kill the alcohol subsidy.

Politics.

Sen Grassley said today that removing the tax credits for grain alcohol production ($5billion) will be an tax on the population since the credits reduce the cost of production. 

Does Grassley think we are really that stupid? I wonder if he remembers when gasohol was mandated and pump prices went up 3-7cents per gal. Energy security they said but they didn't tell you that you also got less power-less milage and that small gas engines needed to be refitted for gasohol. - I'm still paying for the gasohol to fuel my autos, couple of $$hundred to repair the small gas engines, and paying $0.75 more for alcohol free gas for these engines. 

And where does Grassley think where the $5bill of credits are coming from? From today's balanced budget or future interest ? 

-- Edited by longprime on Tuesday 14th of June 2011 07:29:56 PM

It's hard to find anyone who likes ethanol, other than Mid-west farmers, ADM, and the scum-suckers who do the Iowa caucus beauty walk.

Speaking of the last, could someone tell me exactly why Iowa gets to exert such a disproportionate effect on the chosing of presidential candidates?

Back to the topic, I'll admit that I'd prefer a minimalist approach when it comes to energy policy:

- Make it legal to shoot both the CEO's of chronic polluters and the heads of environmental groups that exist mostly as employment vehicles for those who can't find real work. Neither of them are doing any good for anybody, since each is only justified by the existence of the other.

- Let the economics of differing energy sources determine which are used, rather than allowing the political process. The track record of each should be considered, in other words.

- Drill.

-- Edited by catahoula on Tuesday 14th of June 2011 04:13:13 PM

Found on ADM message board.

"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLfIhHNqs...

On Tuesday June 14 2011 - They vote

Big deal - We knew the subsidies would be cut by Dec 31 2011.

Obama will take care of this and ethanol will roll on - 

ADM will rally hard and fast since ethanol is only $100M profit/year

The OPEC meeting this week - helps make the case for ethanol"

Ford will soon produce a competitor to General Motors' Chevrolet Volt.
The new van-like compact car, due out next year, will be available in the U.S. in two hybrid versions. One of those, the C-Max Energi, will be a plug-in hybrid with capabilities similar to those of GM's Volt but with a much longer total driving range. The other version, the C-Max Hybrid, will be a standard hybrid, similar to the Toyota Prius or Ford's Escape Hybrid.

Read more: http://www.thebostonchannel.com/automotive/28186426/detail.html#ixzz1Opkx6bmS

It looks like Ford is getting into the game as well. Their cars today are actually pretty good. I would love to see them succeed.

-- Edited by Razorsharp on Thursday 9th of June 2011 06:52:02 PM

-- Edited by Razorsharp on Thursday 9th of June 2011 06:52:50 PM

Razorsharp,

I do not disagree about the way women are treated in many parts of the Middle East.

I do disagree with the point made in the link by GM that we should charge more for gas so we can force consumers into a certain type of car based on their profit margin.  

I have never driven a muscle car, sadly.  However, I have driven some crappy cars, and many of them are from the big three auto companies from the US.  The engineering hasn't been superb, the comfort or the gas mileage.  My next car won't be a Chevy or a Dodge or a Ford unless they are not only reliable and affordable and have predicted longevity of use.  

The Volt may be a wonderful car to drive.  It's also out of my price range and likely will be for years to come.  It would have been out of my price range even when our family was doing well before my husband lost his job in 2011.  I would be much more inclined to buy a Prius or a Hybrid type vehicle based on experience of friends and family who have driven them for years - based on knowing that the car will have longevity and I can own it for a long time, hassle free.  

Also, there is the element of practicality when it comes to these vehicles.  If you are a certain type of consumer, then this car might be the right choice for you. If you live in a home with a garage or available electrical outlet to charge for 10 hours straight each night, it would work well.  If you don't consume a lot of electricity in your home already, then the cost of charging won't ding you too hard, either.  If you don't have to transport a family or run carpool with sports gear in the back, it might work, too.  

For me, I downgraded our minivan to a small economy car by Dodge a couple of years ago thinking I would save money.  Would I do it again?  Nope. It's uncomfortable to drive, there are built in blind spots that I didn't notice in the test drive, the mileage has not lived up to the hype and the headrests are designed by people who must not have ever actually tried them out on human passengers.  All things that weren't obvious when I was shopping on the showroom floor.  I got a good deal.  That's the only saving grace to this car.  

I think it is a good idea to reduce our use of petro fuels.  I also know that when I generate more than a certain amount of electricity use in my home, my tier prices go up. Not sure how this works for other people.  It doesn't affect me nearly as much since we got solar panels in 2005, and fortunately we live in an area that gets a lot of sunshine year round.  Before we got the panels, our energy prices tripled and after that time, were subject to rolling brownouts to conserve the power grid.  However, there are still costs to pay for the solar and/or electricity to fuel our homes.  

New technology is expensive.  I like the idea of the Volt, I do.  

Local auto dealer has an used 2008 Prius with 71K miles, for $23K. Which is new cost in 2008. 

If you have driven the volt you would know my comments were sincere. before critizing the volt, go drive one. No, it's not a muscle car, but if you need a muscle car to drive to your daily events and activities, you are probably a bad driver. the volt represents freedom. Doesn't it bother anybody that we are sending billions and billions of petrodollars to the middle east to prop up the worst regimes in the history of the world? They treat women like property. If you are a woman, how would you like living there? If you have a daughter, how would you like for your daughter to live there? When south africa was segregated we all of a sudden became very moral and could not trade with a racist country. I guess that was because they did not have oil. What Saudi arabia and Iran do to woman is almost as bad as slavery. Their religion is full of hate and intolerance. They are failed cultures and we should not be supporting them.

Razorsharp,

I first read your post thinking it was a sincere description of your viewpoint.  Then I read it again and read it as sarcasm and tongue in cheek humor.  

So which is it?   

I have driven the volt. It's a great car, just very expensive because it is new technology. It would be great if everyone drove a volt. Iran and the middle east would go under. I would love to see that.

I am in favor in removing tax incentives to producers. This will raise pump prices and make producers seek and produce energy fuels based on markets rather than for the tax breaks.