One of the things that bothers me most about FR is that whenever something comes along that may help the energy situation, about half the posters' answer is "can't work," "won't work" or "I want a SUV that gets 8mpg so there."
IMO, this is the kind of talk that makes socialists smile as they hide behind their "progressive" label, as they point and say "see, they're just reactionary."
Maybe we ought to want an SUV that gets 30mpg and does the same thing the old one did. Maybe it'd be cool to haul the boat to the lake with an electric SUV which has 100% of its torque available at zero RPM.
IMO, if we take some corn, which we're already paying to have grown and see rot in storage, and get *some* use out of it as ethanol, this is great. Even if the equation about it taking more gas than we get out is true (which IMO it isn't, but that's another discussion) it doesn't apply; we're growing it ANYway, the cost is already present.
If we build electric cars, and then decide we need to build nuke plants to power them, great. Whatever works is great.
I guess it all depends on what your goal is in energy policy. Mine is to, as soon as possible, flip the bird to Chavez and the Saudis and Armenijihad (sp!) and all the other wackos who hold us hostage to our oil need and tell them to drink their damn oil. I know this doesn't happen in a year, or 5 years, or even 10 years, but it doesn't happen if every time we start we stop and say "never mind, this isn't THE 100% solution out of the box."
We are not Brazil; we won't replace all our need with one source. It'll take many approaches working in unison. This is also great; it means that we'll be less vulnerable to an attack on one aspect of our energy supply.
Oh, and kellynda: I don't think it's particularly helpful to keep citing that bit about one American's life, unless you actually believe that we're engaged in wars for oil.
[I don't think it's particularly helpful to keep citing that bit about one American's life, unless you actually believe that we're engaged in wars for oil.]
I believe it.