Have We Ever Enjoyed A Good Run?

But Carter was working on that problem.

He was organizing the farmers to grow more corn and grains, and the electric cooperatives were preparing to build power stations to accommodate these bio fuel plants.

President Carter was all set to have America start selling fuel to itself for $1.00 a gallon (just a number I made up) and then the Middle East drops their price from $1.05 to $.95 and the American farmer is screwed.

Ragu, if we would have followed Carter's plan, we wouldn't give two squirts about foreign oil today.

 

God bless you, devil, but you're rowing against the tide. Carter talked about sacrifice and hard choices. Reagan talked about going back to the good old days. Guess which vision people preferred, even if it was a fantasy?
And I'll say, though my first-ever presidential ballot was cast for Carter, and I voted for him again in '80, though he's done a lot of good in his life --- if you've ever read any of his books, he's a sanctimonious, ascetic, odd guy.

 

Do the math - If we used 100% of our corn for ethanol it would give us 10% of our energy needs.

Not only would it not have solved our problems it would have created more in food needs and prices. We are seeing food prices go up now because of increased ethanol production.

 

Boom, it costs more to ship the food. Price of gas goes up, cost of shipping goes up.

Farmers were asked to expand their corn crops in the 1970s.

 

There is still profit in the ground.

Once that profit is gone, we will see the alternative fuel type. I'm almost convinced Chevron or Shell already has it.

But there is still profit in the ground.

 

Ragu, if I understand correctly, I think you're pointing out what the problem was with Carter's vision -- the emphasis was on the sacrifice, and not on the possibility of a payoff.

 

True, Ragu, but if we were able to produce our fuel inside of our own country, and thus keep the dollar moving in our own borders, we would be much better off.

Right now, the Middle East has us by the balls. Carter was working ending this dependency.

Should we be investing in nuclear? Yes. Without question.

Should we be researching turning shale oil and coal into a usable fuel? Yes. Without question.

We need to be the producers of energy. Not just the buyers of energy.

 

In 1980 farmers were producing 5 billions bushels of corn. In 2007 they produced 12 billion of which 20 % goes to ethanol.

Yes - transportation costs are high but remember animals are feed corn so cost of feeding is much higher as cost of corn sky rockets due to demand.

Carter plan was not viable - pure and simple.

Again - do the math - 100 % of corn to ethanol would give us 10 % of our fuel needs and a huge food shortage problem.

 

Boom, if the math you want is our current energy situation, then you can have it.

IMHO, Carter would have looked at continuing to solve the energy problem, not slapping a band aid on a wound that needed stitches.

What have the last four Presidents done to try and solve the current energy problem?

And don't tell me people did not know this day was coming.