Quote:
Originally Posted by HoosierRon
Why do you take the attitude that the manufacturers of particle board are entitled to cheap raw materials, but the manufacturers of cellulosic ethanol are not? If particle board manufacturers would stop consuming so much cellulose, we would not have to pay so much for cellulosic ethanol.
The bottom line is that both manufacturers will compete for the product, and which ever one makes the product most desired by the public will be able to afford the raw materials. I am sure that OPEC does not want the United States using its resources to make fuel, and I understand your agreement with OPEC. But there actually are Americans who want to spend their money on American ethanol rather than OPEC oil or particle board.
|
First of all - I don't think anybody is entitled to anything. But when I look at problems facing our economy, I see the production of Ethanol as being one of the least important accomplishments - especially when it's being attributed to the artificial inflation of produce, and now construction and business materials. Sure, people would love for the US to be energy independent, or at least to stop buying OPEC oil - me included. But when you ask those same people if they'd be willing to pay substantially more for energy, food, construction material, business supplies, etc. to support that measure, I bet at least 70% of those people change their minds - me included. What substantial benefits are gained from not buying cheap OPEC oil? Other than peace of mind - not much else. If we can find a way to generate usable energy from sources that don't inflate other aspects of our economy, then I'm all for it. But if we continue to damage our own economy as a whole to prove a point in one small sector of the economy, there's a net loss and everybody suffers.