Ethanol is a different animal entirely. Ethanol has huge subsidies and mandates. Ethanol is an enviromental and economic disaster. We agree that ethanol is a subsidy king.
I do not know the history of oil refinery development. Even if some subsidies were provided, the refineries are not subsidized now. It is very difficult to build new refineries or expand existing refineries. If you look broadly, you will see that the oil and natural gas industries pay very large amounts of taxes and are subject to onerous regulations. I do not doubt that some tax breaks still exist. However, on balance the taxes and regulations far exceed any subsidies. The industry has begged to expand but the rats have only put up obstacles.
The left indicates that the gulf wars were a subsidy to big oil. This ridiculous statement is laughable. The military has always protected commerce in any form. Iraq wanted to sell oil so the wars were not necessary to stop Iraq from hoarding oil. Oil was the source of Iraq’s wealth, enabling it to wage war on its neighbors.
I do not understand your hostility to the oil industry. This industry has developed innovative products that support our standard of living. The product is difficult to find, develop, and deliver. The industry pays far more in taxes than profits. The industry adheres to strict environmental standards (in this country). Let the left trash this industry. We should thank the industry for its wondrous products.
I intend no hostility to the oil industry. The oil industry won several wars for us and decades of cheap petroleum energy made the US the success we were a few years ago, and may someday become again.
The big difference now is that The Age of Bio Technology will be a factor in the future renewal.
I have been hit over the head time and time again when I speak of exciting developments in the Age of Bio Technology by people that say to me, “But Ethanol is SUBSIDIZED, therefor we must hate it and destroy it”. Time and time again, I hear “We must remove subsidies from ethanol to level the playing field”.
I always reply, but the petroleum industry has been subsidized for 50 years.
The reply is always the same. “Not True, Petroleum is not subsidized and never has been”.
The only intent in my posts here is to demonstrate that Petroleum has enjoyed subsidies also. If we hate ethanol for subsides, then we must also hate oil for subsidies.