A conversation with Sec. of Agriculture

[Brittain33]

Tom Vilsack called a blogger and defended ag subsidies.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/ezra-klein/2011/03/vilsack_i_took_it_as_a_slam_on.html

[Torie]

No, I won't read it. I don't want a coronary this morning. Does he have the cheek to actually defend the ethanol heist?

[minionofmidas]

No, I won't read it. I don't want a coronary this morning. Does he have the cheek to actually defend the ethanol heist?

"Corn and ethanol subsidies are one small piece of this. I admit and acknowledge that over a period of time, those subsidies need to be phased out. But it doesn’t make sense for us to have a continued reliance on a supply of oil where whenever there is unrest in another part of the world, gasoline prices jump up. We need a renewable fuel industry that’s more than corn-based, of course, and there are a whole series of great opportunities here. But as soon as we reduced subsidizes for biodiesel, we lost 12,000 jobs there. So if you create a cliff, you’re going to create significant disruption and end, for a while, our ability to move beyond oil."

[TheDeadFlagBlues]

No, I won't read it. I don't want a coronary this morning. Does he have the cheek to actually defend the ethanol heist?

Of course he does and he goes above and beyond that, he basically advocates for more investment:"We need a renewable fuel industry that’s more than corn-based."

I hate American politics...

[Torie]

You do know that the ethanol heist does not save on the use of fossil fuels don't you?  It takes fossil fuel to grow and process the freaking corn and wheat.  And I assume you saw my post commenting on the Iowa State University study that concluded that the ethanol heist pushes up corn prices by about 60%, screwing the least among us across the planet. It needs to end immediately - well as soon as I get the family farm sold anyway.

I wish I could debate this issue with the heist gang, and have it televised. Yes I do. I can't wait!

[Bacon King]

FTR, isn't sugarcane ethanol better in like every aspect?

[Brittain33]

FTR, isn't sugarcane ethanol better in like every aspect?

Yes, except for the aspect of where it's grown. (Which I'm sure you knew already is the only obstacle.)

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

FTR, isn't sugarcane ethanol better in like every aspect?

Yes, except for the aspect of where it's grown. (Which I'm sure you knew already is the only obstacle.)

sugar ethanol might, i fear, lead more to rainforest destruction to clear land.

[Badger]

FTR, isn't sugarcane ethanol better in like every aspect?

Yes, except for the aspect of where it's grown. (Which I'm sure you knew already is the only obstacle.)

And switchgrass is even better. Now all we need is for Big Switchgrass to flex its mighty lobbying influence.