Rep. Welch (D, VT) admits government’s flop on ethanol

Dave H M wrote:
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By the way I just cranked my garden tiller up after it sat all winter with 3/4 tank of heavily laced (with my favorite snake oil) fuel and it ran like a wild rabbit.

That is why it runs so good - you have to pour additives in the fuel.

Even Al Gore admitted years ago that ethanol was a flop.

If you live in an area where small engine equipment is not routinely stored for a length of time (like over the winter), sure, it'll run okay and you may not know what we are talking about. But where I am, small engine equipment dealers have large signs saying that any fuel related problems are not covered under warranty, and they have large displays selling fuel additives and special "tool fuel", at $25.00+ per gallon, for use in engines that are not used constantly.

I don't know what to say to farmers growing ethanol corn, but that fuel is killing my small engines - I own a landscaping / lawn mowing service - and something should be changed.

At a minimum, maybe in colder areas allow the sale of "normal" gasoline?

I am gonna keep my dog on the lease and not let him get in that fight.

however, I fail to see all the hype of small engine problems with E10. I been running it for years without a problem in my small stuff. Course I don't throw it in the corner in the fall and expect it to run well in the spring.

Sure i would run pure gas if it was readily available. however I will not spend my bucks chasing pure gas when the E10 serves me well.

By the way I just cranked my garden tiller up after it sat all winter with 3/4 tank of heavily laced (with my favorite snake oil) fuel and it ran like a wild rabbit.

CavemanCharlie wrote:
OK, I live in farm country and I need to help get rid of some of the myths here. #1 We were growing the corn anyway. We have not put anymore corn in the ground due to Ethanol. We couldn't , Every bit of ground possible was already in corn production. Been that way since the 70's and 80's when the government programs changed and started pushing big corn farms instead of small farms that raised a number of different things. #2 Ethanol has been good for the local economy. Not just for the farmers but, the Ethanol plants themselves hire workers and pay a good wage. Plus, The truckers that haul it. The C02 in your pop is a by product of Ethanol production and a whole industry has sprung up around that. And, another byproduct is a good cattle feed and has started a whole industry around that.

I did't read the whole article and I know that I will never convince any of you to change your minds but, often people forget that for every dollar spent on something there are several more dollars that are made from the off shoots of that original dollar. That is true of any thing. Lets not forget that the health of the economy has nothing at all to do with how a dollar is made by someone. It is how fast that dollar moves around. When the dollars quit moving we have a problem. They need to stay in circulation.

Locally Ethanol has done a lot to keep those dollars circulating. The only reason I can afford to eat, much less go camping, is because of it. I know that you believe that has nothing to do with your personal lives but, it actually does.

But, I have no idea how your lives work either so I don't really expect you to care about mine or anyone elses. That's the American way. Only worry about Number One and stick it to everybody else. Especially these days.

You got that right, a lot of people were having it stuck to them with all the small engine fuel problems but who cares about that. It sounds like you support the broken window fallacy.

dreamer wrote:
I still say if you are burning your food something ain't right. Max.

The corn Ethanol is made from is not food. Cattle food maybe but, not people food. It is a commodity just like Oil, Coal, Natural Gas, etc.

OK, I live in farm country and I need to help get rid of some of the myths here. #1 We were growing the corn anyway. We have not put anymore corn in the ground due to Ethanol. We couldn't , Every bit of ground possible was already in corn production. Been that way since the 70's and 80's when the government programs changed and started pushing big corn farms instead of small farms that raised a number of different things. #2 Ethanol has been good for the local economy. Not just for the farmers but, the Ethanol plants themselves hire workers and pay a good wage. Plus, The truckers that haul it. The C02 in your pop is a by product of Ethanol production and a whole industry has sprung up around that. And, another byproduct is a good cattle feed and has started a whole industry around that.

I did't read the whole article and I know that I will never convince any of you to change your minds but, often people forget that for every dollar spent on something there are several more dollars that are made from the off shoots of that original dollar. That is true of any thing. Lets not forget that the health of the economy has nothing at all to do with how a dollar is made by someone. It is how fast that dollar moves around. When the dollars quit moving we have a problem. They need to stay in circulation.

Locally Ethanol has done a lot to keep those dollars circulating. The only reason I can afford to eat, much less go camping, is because of it. I know that you believe that has nothing to do with your personal lives but, it actually does.

But, I have no idea how your lives work either so I don't really expect you to care about mine or anyone elses. That's the American way. Only worry about Number One and stick it to everybody else. Especially these days.

bukhrn wrote:
Honesty in politics, who'da thunk it. ;)

Politics I am interested in but do not wish to discuss here.

Suffice to say I'm seeing a tendency toward honesty in SOME politicians.. Likely in response to the dishonesty of others.

But I've seen study after study on Ethanol and have been saying for years that it is a scam.

I still say if you are burning your food something ain't right. Max.

Ethanol production is also an incredible consumer of ground water.

We aren't allowed to discuss politics, so I'll just remind folks that every state gets two senators, even those square states that have more corn fields than people. That's a lot of power and I'm not talking about the fuel.