Ethanol: Latest example of why Trump is the wrong choice.

[Boss]

Okay, so the other day, I posted that I was starting to sour on Trump because of his comments about "raising taxes on Wall Street" and for his recent "Birtherism" attacks on Ted Cruz. I still like a lot of what Trump has to say and I will still support him if he wins the nomination. He would be 10,000 times better than anything the Democrats can offer. That said, the latest flap out of Iowa is a major concern to me as a conservative.

Ethanol subsidies are a prime example of the problem I have with the liberal Democrats and establishment GOP. We have no business subsidizing this industry as American taxpayers. It's one of the most boneheaded policies Congress has ever enacted and it needs to be ended. For one, we can't afford it. Secondly, it doesn't benefit anyone except those who profit from the industry itself. Namely, those in Iowa who are growing the corn.

Trump is merely pandering to the sentiments of Iowa voters by supporting the subsidies while Cruz remains true to core conservative principles. Folks, if we can't make the conservative case on Ethanol, we can't make it on $200 trillion in unfunded entitlements. If we are going to fold due to political pressure on this, we're no better than the Democrats or the establishment GOP enablers who are in there now. Everything that comes down the pike will have the same component and we'll end up capitulating over and over again... resulting in NO budget cuts on anything.

Pandering to special interests and caving on conservative principles is what the Establishment GOP has been preaching the past 10 years. How can true conservatives be okay with this?

 

[TheOldSchool]

A total reversal of ethanol policy would be absolutely devastating for most republican voting states. I would support a strategy that very gradually ends ethanol subsidies and ethanol production. The question is... what will replace ethanol production in republican states?

Which is why it's very doubtful republicans will end their support for ethanol. Cruz would never dare to actually challenge ethanol subsidies.

 

[Jackson]

Alright, this is probably a stupid question and I'll take my licks for it...but with the oil glut like we have, can't we move away from ethanol and support the oil producers. Why is ethanol bad? Do we have a choice at the gas stations?

 

[TheOldSchool]

Alright, this is probably a stupid question and I'll take my licks for it...but with the oil glut like we have, can't we move away from ethanol and support the oil producers. Why is ethanol bad? Do we have a choice at the gas stations?

Ethanol is the stupidest thing ever. Every gallon of ethanol produced uses a gallon of oil to produce it. And the end product is shittier than if you'd used the oil to make a gallon of regular gasoline.

But corn is super easy to produce. And corn is the principal ingredient in ethanol. And in most other popular American products. The corn lobby is terrifying. Especially if you dare challenge them.

Just ask Mr. H. about the ass fucking farmer.

 

[Jackson]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Old School.

 

[TheOldSchool]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Old School.

I'm not sure if you were serious there or not... but seriously look into ethanol. It's nonsense.

 

[ScienceRocks]

I think government should invest in tech and science. SO this makes me feel a little better about trump.

 

[Boss]

Alright, this is probably a stupid question and I'll take my licks for it...but with the oil glut like we have, can't we move away from ethanol and support the oil producers. Why is ethanol bad? Do we have a choice at the gas stations?

First of all, as Old School said, it takes more oil to produce the ethanol than the ethanol saves in oil. Second, it is bad for your engine. Burning ethanol, even at the 10~15% level, creates a gummy deposit inside your engine that will greatly reduce it's life. Ring failure and sticking valves become more common the longer you use the product. If this were some synthetic additive the oil companies had developed to create greater profits the liberal Marxists would be standing on their ears to have it banned by the FTC. But it was an Environmentalist initiative so it doesn't matter about the "science" at all.

Additionally, the demand for corn to produce the ethanol reduces the amount of corn available for food production, meaning.... cost of food is higher as a result. Across the board, everything that uses corn is more expensive now, thanks to ethanol production.

You don't have a choice at the pumps because the EPA Marxists control it, and their Fascists have said that we all must use the product to save the planet. What's more, we also have to pay our tax dollars to subsidize it! You see...because it's NOT PROFITABLE to do it... we're using more oil to make the ethanol than the ethanol saves. Is ANY of this making sense?

It's the biggest liberal boondoggle that we are paying for as taxpayers, bar none. If we cannot stand as conservatives against this kind of mindless stupidity in government spending, WHERE do we draw the line? What other wasteful spending idiocy is off limits? You can name virtually ANY other government subsidy program we have and make a better argument for why it should be left alone. So if conservatives can't get rid of ethanol subsidies, we can't get rid of any damn thing the kooky left is spending our tax dollars on.

And let's be clear.... this is not an opposition to alternative fuels. If you can develop an alternative fuel that consumers want and it's affordable, bring it on! We don't need to be SUBSIDIZING it!

 

[Boss]

I think government should invest in tech and science. SO this makes me feel a little better about trump.

This is NOT an investment in tech and science. Moron.

This is a government subsidy for a product that has no redeemable value. It's making some corn producers a lot of money at the expense of the taxpayer... and actually, TAKING money that COULD be used for tech and science.

 

[NightFox]

Ethanol subsidies is definitely one of the most idiotic policies to come out of Washington since burning ethanol produces LESS energy than what goes into making it; in other words the more ethanol you produce the less available energy you have. We would be better off removing the ethanol production mandate and just handing out the subsidies to would be producers for NOT producing it, or just burn the subsidy money since it would produce more net energy.

Trump's support for these subsidies is yet another example of what a "great businessman" he is, specifically his success in business is largely based on buying influence (by his own admission) and in this case he's simply pandering to buy votes using a horrible DEAL for the taxpayers, this is Mr. "Art of the Deal" on full display.

 

[mudwhistle]

Alright, this is probably a stupid question and I'll take my licks for it...but with the oil glut like we have, can't we move away from ethanol and support the oil producers. Why is ethanol bad? Do we have a choice at the gas stations?

Ethanol drives up the price of food. It uses up much of the corn that used to be used for feed corn for animals, which drives up the costs to farmers, which drives up the cost of meat, milk, cereal, etc.

Ethanol is a lousy fuel option because of the damage it does to engine parts and Catalytic Converters. If you wonder why your engine light is on all of the time now, thank the 10% Ethanol that Obama requires added to your gas. He wants to raise it to 16% so it will screw our cars up even more.

 

[Jackson]

Thank you for making me aware of this problem. I write my Congressmen from time to time (usually to let them know how unhappy I am with them) and I will ask what action is taking place to remove these subsidies and eliminate ethanol.

 

[mudwhistle]

Ethanol subsidies is definitely one of the most idiotic policies to come out of Washington since burning ethanol produces LESS energy than what goes into making it; in other words the more ethanol you produce the less available energy you have. We would be better off removing the ethanol production mandate and just handing out the subsidies to would be producers for NOT producing it, or just burn the subsidy money since it would produce more net energy.

Trump's support for these subsidies is yet another example of what a "great businessman" he is, specifically his success in business is largely based on buying influence (by his own admission) and in this case he's simply pandering to buy votes using a horrible DEAL for the taxpayers, this is Mr. "Art of the Deal" on full display.

As opposed to health care subsidies used to completely prop up Obamacare? Obamacare would collapse from it's own weight if subsidies were cut off completely. Hundreds of billions of dollars wasted so Obama can rid America of guns. Obamacare is nothing but a scam designed to screw up health care in America, raise our taxes, and take our guns.

 

[Wyatt earp]

A total reversal of ethanol policy would be absolutely devastating for most republican voting states. I would support a strategy that very gradually ends ethanol subsidies and ethanol production. The question is... what will replace ethanol production in republican states?

Which is why it's very doubtful republicans will end their support for ethanol. Cruz would never dare to actually challenge ethanol subsidies.

Drink more Jack Daniels...

 

[The Rabbi]

As far as I know Ted Cruz is the only candidate who has come out against the ethanol mandate.

 

[Toro]

It's farm welfare.

How anyone who calls themselves a conservative and supports this is beyond me.

 

[Claudette]

Alright, this is probably a stupid question and I'll take my licks for it...but with the oil glut like we have, can't we move away from ethanol and support the oil producers. Why is ethanol bad? Do we have a choice at the gas stations?

Since they started using ethanol its been found that its worse for the environment that gas is.

They should stop subsidizing the corn growers and stop putting ethanol is gas.

Common Sense 101

 

[NightFox]

Ethanol subsidies is definitely one of the most idiotic policies to come out of Washington since burning ethanol produces LESS energy than what goes into making it; in other words the more ethanol you produce the less available energy you have. We would be better off removing the ethanol production mandate and just handing out the subsidies to would be producers for NOT producing it, or just burn the subsidy money since it would produce more net energy.

Trump's support for these subsidies is yet another example of what a "great businessman" he is, specifically his success in business is largely based on buying influence (by his own admission) and in this case he's simply pandering to buy votes using a horrible DEAL for the taxpayers, this is Mr. "Art of the Deal" on full display.

As opposed to health care subsidies used to completely prop up Obamacare? Obamacare would collapse from it's own weight if subsidies were cut off completely. Hundreds of billions of dollars wasted so Obama can rid America of guns. Obamacare is nothing but a scam designed to screw up health care in America, raise our taxes, and take our guns.

What makes you think I support Obamacare? My preference is getting the federal government COMPLETELY out of the healthcare business (as well as the vast majority of other economic activities that it's managed to put it's grubby paws on), but while we're on the subject the Donald has publicly going beyond the ridiculous (Obamacare) and into the ludicrous (Single Payer), why conservatives would trust this man that has never demonstrated any adherence to conservative principles is beyond me.

The old saying goes that evil flourishes when good men do nothing, well I have another take on that unrestrained government flourishes when conservatives abandon their principles to support an unprincipled demagogue like Donald Trump.

 

[NightFox]

Alright, this is probably a stupid question and I'll take my licks for it...but with the oil glut like we have, can't we move away from ethanol and support the oil producers. Why is ethanol bad? Do we have a choice at the gas stations?

Since they started using ethanol its been found that its worse for the environment that gas is.

They should stop subsidizing the corn growers and stop putting ethanol is gas.

Common Sense 101

Yep, it's worse for the environment, producing it results in the increased use of fossil fuels (more energy goes into making it than the energy it produces) so in effect it's use results in a net increase in pollution and that's not even counting the subsidies (the additional production required to generate the money for said subsidies also produces pollution).

Those that support these subsidies are in fact supporting not only an immoral theft and transfer of taxpayer money for what amounts to an energy sink, they're also supporting increased degradation of the environment, typical example of gub'mint in action.

 

[imawhosure]

I am in no way a Trump apologist, and I concur that ethanol subsidies are ridiculous. Still, we aren't going to get rid of illegals or anything else Trump has suggested unless we elect Trump or Cruz. (maybe Carson)

If you have to plan down the road to do something, that is fine. Just because he says "yes" today, doesn't mean he will say "yes" in 2 years. He can evolve like Obama and Hillary did on gay marriage, correct?

Ted Cruz is probably telling everyone the most accurate vision of what he intends to do, what he supports, and what he does not, as he did this in Texas and it got him elected. Does this style of campaign translate to national politics? I hope so, as he would absolutely be the best "overall" POTUS, but if honesty falters in its bid to win, I too will support Trump as the far better option than what the Democrats are offering.