Political momentum builds to phase down/eliminate ethanol

[Duke W.]

Maybe there's hope... interesting article in yesterday's WSJ.

http://www.wsj.com/articles/gop-presidential-hopefuls-risk-iowans-ire-on-ethanol-1425583534

Duke

[Patrick B.]

Re: Political momentum builds to phase down/eliminate ethanol

This link only gives you the first couple of sentences unless you subscribe to the WSJ.

[Duke W.]

Re: Political momentum builds to phase down/eliminate ethanol

Okay, in a nutshell there are several GOP potential 2016 presidential candidates that have or will go public on phasing out the ethanol requirement. The list includes Cruz, Jindal, Paul, Walker, and Perry. Bush hasn't taken a stand, so if he supports ethanol he's probably a hands down winner of the Iowa primary, but I think those early primarys in small states like Iowa and New Hampshire are less an indicator of who will get the nominationn than they used to be.

Ethanol could also morph into a significant political issue in the final campaign for the 2016 general election according to the article.

I believe there is also increasing support to end the ethanol requirement in Congress, and McCain is one of the leading chargers.

My own personal opinion is that the requirement should be phased out. Ethanol costs more to produce per BTU than straight gasoline, which increases pump prices, and the arguments that ethanol "helps the environment" are completely specious or marginal, at best. Then there are the adverse operating characteristics on our vintage cars.

To mitigate the economic impact the ethanol requirement should be phased out over at least five years, and then made optional. I'm sure there are some who will continue to want E10 because they think they are saving the planet from thermal runaway... whatever floats your boat. It's all about personal choices.

Duke

[Jim D.]

Re: Political momentum builds to phase down/eliminate ethanol

Hawaii is already trying to make the move to eliminate ethanol - http://www.hawaiinewsnow.com/story/1...-in-hawaii-gas

[Michael J.]

Re: Political momentum builds to phase down/eliminate ethanol

Today, on the way home from Chapter Judging of my '67, I stopped by the closest ethanol free premium station. The owner, a jobber, was there eyeing my car, and I asked him if he was ever going to open more ethanol free stations. He said he had 5 new locations opening in the next few months. He said guys like me are pretty plentiful, and the demand is really building, so free enterprise will make it happen.

[Leif A.]

Re: Political momentum builds to phase down/eliminate ethanol

Today, on the way home from Chapter Judging of my '67, I stopped by the closest ethanol free premium station. The owner, a jobber, was there eyeing my car, and I asked him if he was ever going to open more ethanol free stations. He said he had 5 new locations opening in the next few months. He said guys like me are pretty plentiful, and the demand is really building, so free enterprise will make it happen.

Michael,

Let us know how the chapter judging went on the '67. And, I tend to agree that our free enterprise systme will ultimately win over.

[Jerry G.]

Re: Political momentum builds to phase down/eliminate ethanol

When I was in the business we were forced into Ethanol because the MTBE was poisoning water supplies. It was deemed a good oxygenate and it worked with the technology of the time. A real bonus was it was a huge boondoggle for the politicians to pass money out in subsidies to Iowa's farmers the impact on the price of food and increases taxes was just a bonus.

[King M.]

Re: Political momentum builds to phase down/eliminate ethanol

I am a jobber. I can still get ethanol FREE gasoline from one of the eight refineries that I pull from and use it in all my stations that the law will allow. Ethanol fuel is pure CRAP! Put in in a older underground tank at a service station and you will be changing filters in the pumps for a while....I hope the government will remove the requirement for ethanol, but it is only a drop in the bucket of the screw ups that our govt has done to us

[Michael J.]

Re: Political momentum builds to phase down/eliminate ethanol

Michael,

Let us know how the chapter judging went on the '67.

Thanks for asking Leif, it was fine, but still lots of work to do before the Lone Star Regional in October, hope to see you there.

[Joe R.]

Re: Political momentum builds to phase down/eliminate ethanol

I'm going to have to protest the removal of ethanol in gasoline!!!! IF that happens what am I going to do with my STILL er (production plant) in the hills of Tennessee??

JR

[Duke W.]

Re: Political momentum builds to phase down/eliminate ethanol

Keep it fired up an drink the product.

Duke

[Kenneth B.]

Re: Political momentum builds to phase down/eliminate ethanol

I'm going to have to protest the removal of ethanol in gasoline!!!! IF that happens what am I going to do with my STILL er (production plant) in the hills of Tennessee??

JR

And that is why it might not ever happen. Too much money riding on ethanol especially in the corn belt states. It was NEVER a good alternative for gas & everybody knew it. It's like the marijuana laws that they kept preaching as to how bad it was & put 1000's of people in jail even when they knew that the emperor had no clothes but kept saying he did. The government has too much time money & man power invested to turn back on either one.

[Mark E.]

Re: Political momentum builds to phase down/eliminate ethanol

My biggest concern about using corn for fuel is the environmental impact. It's a poor use of scarce farmland and fresh water, and it takes a lot of energy (and hence emissions) to transport and refine it.

In comparison, the damage done to our cars is a minor issue.

It's sad to see how special interest groups subvert our government for their gain. It's maddening to see the resulting damage to scarce resources, the environment, and our health.