[hlmencken3]

...I don't think ethanol will take off not because of energy but because corn will be too high a price thanks to demand for food and other uses

Corn is well under $2.00/bushel, which means the gov't is already subsidizing its production, as well as subsidizing the production of corn-based ethanol. And sugar cane-based ethanol is still cheaper! Even if ethanol makes sense, making it from corn doesn't seem to.

[Mr. Lucky]

Perthaps you could describe your understanding of how "the government" subsidizes the production of corn.