Mr. Obama is running as a reformer who is seeking to reduce the influence of special interests. But like any other politician, he has powerful constituencies that help shape his views. And when it comes to domestic ethanol, almost all of which is made from corn, he also has advisers and prominent supporters with close ties to the industry at a time when energy policy is a point of sharp contrast between the parties and their presidential candidates.
In the heart of the Corn Belt that August day, Mr. Obama argued that embracing ethanol “ultimately helps our national security, because right now we’re sending billions of dollars to some of the most hostile nations on earth.” America’s oil dependence, he added, “makes it more difficult for us to shape a foreign policy that is intelligent and is creating security for the long term.”
NY Times, June 23, 2008
***********************************
Dear Senator,
The issue is not that your advisers or staff have deep ties to the ethanol industry, nor that you are receiving large donations from this industry, rather, it is your hypocrisy and the idiocy of your Obamessiah followers.
There is no difference between the constituency of ethanol and that of oil, but for money. Oil groups lobby as do ethanol groups. Both donate, but for amounts.
And Senator, ethanol is demonstrably more problematic for the environment, and it is and will cause worldwide starvation. Given your desire to repair relations with the world, why would you put us on the road to causing worldwide starvation? More importantly, why make us dependent upon a crop that is dependent upon water, droughts, storms, snow, and other weather conditions. Why commit us to a fuel source that puts more dangerous pollutants into the atmosphere than petroleum based fuels. Why. Why claim it makes us more independent when you have already authored and supported a bill that would require the US to pay nearly $1 trillion dollars to lift the poor of the world above poverty, when this very fuel source will cause starvation and poverty, while raising all food prices causing food issues in the United States.
You have not thought through your plan Senator and the world cannot afford to have someone in the White House who could cause global starvation and death because he wants to make the US independent of foreign oil.
It goes without saying Senator, there are ways to make us independent without starving the world and many Americans, raising the costs of everything including fuel, and destroying our economy.
1) Allow drilling off the coast of the United States, in the same areas other countries are drilling, let American companies drill.
2) Allow American companies to drill in the Rocky Mountain areas, provide tax breaks, to extract and refine oil from the shale.
3) Allow drilling in ANWAR.
4) Urge an increase in exports from the number one oil exporter to the US - Canada.
5) Urge an increase in exports from the number two oil exporter to the US - Mexico.
6) Change the laws which allow the speculation on oil. Senator Nelson told a TV audience that oil executives before a Senate committee, told the committee that oil should be, based on demand, around $55-60 a barrel. The head of OPEC has said oil should be trading at or around those same dollar figures per barrel.
7) Permit faster construction (albeit, they must meet standards) of at least three new refineries, in areas not prone to hurricanes or earthquakes, and get them up and running within your first term.
8) Permit construction of at least ten nuclear power plants and get them all online within your first term.
Do the above, and we will be energy independent - off all oil in the Middle East, within 4-5 years. Why am I so sure - the same reason you know we can be - the facts: We get over 50% of our oil from Mexico, Canada, and Venezuela. If we pump more oil ourselves, extract oil from shale (according to geology reports from the last five to ten years ago, oil needed to be around $70-75 a barrel to make it financially feasible and oil is way past that figure), by doing so we could have the largest oil reserves in the world at over several trillion barrels available. Build nuclear plants to reduce home and industry needs for petroleum. More refineries to put more gas on the market - especially given the propensity of companies to shut them all down about the same time, or incur an accident at key facilities every couple years. Do it and we will be independent of ALL Middle Eastern oil, of OPEC. In fact, work to break up OPEC. Get Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela, and Brazil to work together as an American counter weight to OPEC.
Play around with some ethanol and raise gas taxes and maybe do one other... and you will only continue to prove why you should stay in the Senate. We need a full court change.
oil
energy
ethanol
fuel
independence
Subscribe To
Posts
Comments