America Does Not Need Ethanol, Has Abundant Oil

Our strategy is to use up world oil reserves until they dry up, then we use our oil and sell it to the world. That's it basically.

Still doesn't give us the right to waste fossil fuels like we do. I am ashamed to be an American sometimes since we are such a wasteful society. We leave the lights in our homes running, even if we are not in a room or at home, we leave our water running when shaving (turning it off while shaving can save so much of the stuff) etc. Waste waste waste. The results of a society that has been spoiled by "cheap energy prices". :(

Mr. William Reed is a load of crap. We need to look for alternate fuel or types of energy source even if we have plenty of oil for centuries. Why? Because we live on this planet and we need to worry more about the environment and cost of oil (price, Middle East issues). Alternate energy source provides freedom of choice, lower price, efficiency, competition, and will hurt the oil cartel monopoly and much more.

Anyway, we need alternate fuel sources, and Ethanol is a good start.

talking of waste, do you know what i hate? packaging. there is so much packaging on everything today, and it's plastic so it's harder to recycle. and since my local council doesn't do plastic recycling, i can't do it.

Here is the inconvinient truth about Ethanol/E85.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/11174/tech-stuff-ethanol-promises.html

It lowers your milage.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?article_id=11174§ion_id=4&page_number=7

Car companies use it as a loophole.

http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?article_id=11174§ion_id=4&page_number=7#flex

jtgct:

with respect if anyone is to blame for the US dependence on oil then it is the Republicans - here's how:
(i.) the unnecessary war in Iraq - reduced production
(ii.) US auto fuel economy standards were not made more rigorous - ironically this is what is killing Ford and GM the most, because their vehicle fleets don't appeal in an era of high gas prices
(iii.) Stimulating demand for fuel through the creation of culture in the US where its all about "me" - and screw my neighbors and the planet.
(iv.) Celebrating fuel-inefficient big SUVs [for example the California Governor and Hummer]
(v.) in Florida the Republicans including Jeb Bush blocked attempts for offshore drilling until recently

By the way I like low taxes as much as the next guy! . . . However I am not so politically blinkered that I would blame Democrats [who haven't had control of Congress in a decade] for US energy problems. Ask instead what your Republican leadership has done to reduce demand and boost supply!

the governator does have 4 hummers thoug, and did start the idea of a civilian hummer when he wanted one.
the us does have a strange culture, it's very evident when you're not american (like me). it is a "me" culture, but somehow entwined with a (far too strong imo) emphaisis on religion, a very strong sense of patriotism, a dislike of foriegners and is honestly perceived by the outside world as rather racist, backward and bigoted.
when americans think america, they think freedom, oppurtunity, democracy and a sense of community. when the outside world thinks america, they think a man with a pick-up truck, a texas/southern drawl, little education, a hate of minorities (notably blacks, homosexuals, russians and mexicans and he feels that they are ruining the country), a bit ott religious, a gun, a lack of culture and is ignorant to this fact, and a freedom of speech that allows him to voice his beliefs.
the view is (i hope) wrong, but the outside world often fails to be impressed by george bush, as he is (if i'm not mistaken) a man with a pick-up truck and ranch, a southern drawl, little education (or appears to "misunderestimate"), a bit oot religious "god told me to attack iraq", a gun, a lack of culture "can i get a burger" (while in france) and says things like "there are wmd in iraq" and "iraq has links with al-qaeda" and "climate change doesn't exist" and refuses to join the kyoto protocal, and while he wants to protect the world (apparently) he does nothing about slave labour in indonesia or robert mugabe in zimbabwe.
it's all a bit strange if you ask me.
i'm not an american hater, honest.

oh stop
just give me my car and get out of my way

jtgct, You are going to beleive OPEC when they say there is an oversupply? Of course they are going to say that, they have to justify the high prices somehow. Then you go on to say: "huge emerging classes of India and China and their demand for cars and need of oil for infrastructure development". The price of gas is artifiacially high, but not excessively, and when it gets to be too much of an economical burden in the U.S., which would be about 5% of American income, then popular demand by the people would force domestic drilling...I also beleive if we started to give the Middle East some competition with oil, it would drive down prices on both sides...I don't know that may just be the American capitolism talking.
Mercbasher, high gas prices aren't what's killing GM and Ford. They're two different companies with two different problems, and their problems permeate throughout other areas that don't include high oil prices.
And Rupert, I like your interpretation of America. Although some parts are exaggerated, except for the religion, in a good way, which is ingrained in almost every faucet of our lives, it's good to see how we look to other countries.

i know i exaggerated, but i was just showing how america is viewed. there are some very big stereotypes (namely the stupid tourist).
the religion aspect is odd, you know the game gta san andreas? it was called to be banned from shops by a christian group and it was taken off the shelves. in britain, some people complained and nothing happened. christianity holds a lot of clout in america, whereas here a council decided to call the christmas lights winter lights, so as not to offend any minorities. there was a backlash and many muslims and hindus (for those were the main groups living in that borough) said they didn't mind, and many ordinary people made a mockery of the council in question. the council shoved aside the calls of the christians to listen to the minority groups.
it goes too far in either direction.