commentaries

The oil companies will not get rid of ethanol from corn. It is way cheaper to blend ethanol in. To make the octane levels that are mandated for gas. The refining process is to expensive without ethanol. Plus most of the ethanol plants are now owned by oil companies.

And this idiot is a teacher at the U of MN?????? And he doesn't know that MTBE was banned as the oxy-agent in our gas supply because it causes cancer??? And that is why the goverment/EPA requires ethanol as the oxy-agent. MY GOD!!!! He should be fired for being such an IDIOT!!!!!

Actually ethanol increases the cost of gasoline. Refiners have to back out cheaper butane in order to maintain vapor pressure when ethanol is added. Ethanol can substitute for MTBE at about 5% content. Ethanol adds oxygen for a cleaner burn and increases octane at 5%. The 10% mandate is just politics as the highly regarded Jason Hill understands. Putting something in caps doesn't make it true.

Readers should pick up The Omnivore's Dilemma, a book about food in the US. The corn-related industries are explored. Corn in the US today is a monster created by government policies and corporate greed. The role of corn in the meat industry is essential and replaceable only by the consumer's willingness to pay more for the same product. So many of our US food products cost less than the rest of the world because of corn and government incentives for farmers to plant more of it.

There once was a race of slaves that eventually became masters. They were the Mamelukes, and they once ruled Egypt until they were defeated by Napoleon. I call internal combustion engines "Mamelukes" because we do so much to satisfy them.

Open up drilling in the gulf. Allow recovery of shale oil from government lands. Grow corn for food. Stop fueling our naval ships with biofuels at $26.50 per gallon just to "set a good example." Above all, vote for R & R in November. We might be able to pull through this mess.

It's amazing that a product that lowers gas mileage, provides less energy than it takes to produce, ruins fuel systems of old vehicles, increases food prices, adds new kinds of pollution to the air, depletes ground water and requires massive government subsidies for success is mandated in our gasoline. It's nothing but agricultural welfare.

You also will get fewer MPG with E 85 fuels, plus alcohol is corrosive and damages certain parts of the fuel system. Definitely don't use it in small engine applications! Thanks to the Mn. Street Rod Assn., stations can at least have pumps that are ethanol free, but it's premium only and is for collector and classic cars and small engine use only. However, few stations ever check what you are putting in.

The ethanol racket is just another way for rich, fat cat democrats to make money from the taxes paid by hardworking Americans. They control the market by means of government leverage and yet have the gall to criticize free market solutions that would bring the cost of food and fuel down a level that would allow a decent standard of living for working folks. The objective is to make us dependent and slaves to the system. The next arena of control is healthcare. Air and water are soon to come if we don't dig our heels in.

Corn ethanol damages air quality more than gasoline, and it most likely does not reduce greenhouse gas emissions, either. - - - Wasn't THAT the reason ethanol was mandated in the first place??????