7 percent by 2030, it's less about energy and more about contro

[Tigermike 3,055]

Sunday, 12/23/07

Our misery is Gore crowd's happiness

By PHIL VALENTINE

Ayn Rand could not possibly have known how prophetic her novel, Atlas Shrugged, would be when it was published 50 years ago. Or, could she?

This landmark piece of literature foretold a United States where an ever-intrusive and expanding government begins to smother productivity and shutter the doors of entrepreneurship. Innovators, creators and producers are driven to destroy their own works rather than turn them over to the vultures who have taken over the government.

I was reminded of Rand's classic as President Bush and members of Congress recently gathered for the signing of the new energy bill. The Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 is less about energy and more about control. The most ambitious projections by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy predict it will cut our energy consumption by a whopping 7 percent by 2030.

Yet, it forces products and standards on the American public that could not be achieved in the free market. For instance, it forces automobile manufacturers to increase average fuel economy to 35 mpg by 2020. This mandate will include light trucks, which means your pickup and SUV, heretofore exempt, will now be subject to higher mileage standards. According to J.D. Power & Associates, SUVs, pickups and minivans make up about 60 percent of auto sales. Hybrids' market share is just under 3 percent. People apparently like the safety and comfort of a larger ride, all of which will be sacrificed with higher mileage standards. But it doesn't much matter what you want.

The new bill also mandates a fivefold increase in biofuels like ethanol, which will continue to drive up the price of corn as energy and food interests compete. I drive a flex-fuel vehicle that uses ethanol. I'm all for it but, again, the market should decide, not the government. (unintended consequences coming at you, but that's all right with them)

This so-called energy bill also bans most incandescent lightbulbs by 2012. The incandescent lightbulb is replaced — by force, not by choice — with the compact fluorescent lightbulb. Right now, the market share of these CFLs is about 6 percent, and there's a reason for that. They produce dim, dull light. Roughly 94 percent of the country doesn't want them, but that doesn't matter to our nanny-state government. We're going to use them whether we like it or not.

The Associated Press recently reported Al Gore has finished the "green" modifications on his Belle Meade mansion. After all that work, he has managed to reduce his energy consumption by an anemic 11 percent. That still puts him at over 10 times the amount of monthly usage compared to the average Nashville home. (You go Al!)

Ironically, Gore uses those CFLs in his home. According to a comparison of NES bills, Al and Tipper use almost four times the power my family of five uses; yet, their home got the Green Building Council's gold certification, and mine didn't. Of course, Mr. Gore has a company set up where he can pay himself carbon offsets to clear his conscience. (The irony is lost on Al and the "green Gestapo")

It seems the underlying theme of radical environmentalism is sacrifice. They genuflect at the altar of self-immolation while the rest of us celebrate having climbed to the top of the technological food chain. While we marvel at our advanced civilization, they cram into their hybrids to go lobby Congress, all the while claiming to be "progressive.'' News flash: Dimmer lights and less-safe automobiles are not progress.

Ultimately, what Ayn Rand was trying to convey in Atlas Shrugged is that we have a fundamental right to be happy, if we so choose. This runs counter to today's radical environmentalists who believe one must actually be miserable to truly be content.

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[AURaptor 1,126]

This is scary. Forcing us to use light bulbs which contain mercury, instead of a far safer and popular product, the incandescent light bulb ? Mandating fuel efficency which is nearly 1.5x's what my pick up gets now, no new drilling off the coast of Florida, while Cuba + China are working together to drill just 50 miles off our coast ?

This is a freakin nightmare

[autiger4life 3]

shutter the doors of entrepreneurship. Innovators, creators and producers are driven to destroy their own works rather than turn them over to the vultures who have taken over the government.

And this is the reason that most people don't become entrepreneurs and innovators. The very word itself, innovator, to develop or change an established concept, component, system. This is when these people strive.

One of my best friends is currently testing and working on opening a biodeisel plant that runs completely off of used oil from local food establishments. He can create biodeisel that is fully functional for about 70 cents a gallon. To say that something like this crushes innovators and entrepreneurs is to get their entire concept backwards. If anything this hurts business that can't respond, can't innovate and are so stuck in a one set mind(sound familar AUraptor) that they can't make it.

People apparently like the safety and comfort of a larger ride, all of which will be sacrificed with higher mileage standards.

I didn't realize that safety and comfort had to be sacrificed because of higher standards. They actually have full powered trucks that are hybrids. But hey, maybe you don't want a truck that saves gas(see money) and is good for the enviroment(just keep thinking money). Well, trucks can actually get better gas mileage too. Will it cost a little more, probably. After more research(which creates high end job, which creates more money in the economy, especially if you believe in trickle down economics) the prices will probably be lowered and we will save money, the enviroment and have created more jobs.

The new bill also mandates a fivefold increase in biofuels like ethanol, which will continue to drive up the price of corn as energy and food interests compete.

This is pretty misleading by saying an increase in biofuels will really drive up the corn prices. This way overused argument by many is quickly falling apart. The biofuels will actually not come from corn. That was just an example that was used but of course discovered not to be viable. For instance, AU is leading research on using switch grass for biofuels. It is better than corn and we don't need the stuff. It also grows back very quickly so we can harvest it easier, and it doesn't need great enviroments to grow in. So no, corn prices won't go up, and we will innovate and find other methods.

The Associated Press recently reported Al Gore has finished the "green" modifications on his Belle Meade mansion. After all that work, he has managed to reduce his energy consumption by an anemic 11 percent. That still puts him at over 10 times the amount of monthly usage compared to the average Nashville home. (You go Al!)

Ironically, Gore uses those CFLs in his home. According to a comparison of NES bills, Al and Tipper use almost four times the power my family of five uses; yet, their home got the Green Building Council's gold certification, and mine didn't. Of course, Mr. Gore has a company set up where he can pay himself carbon offsets to clear his conscience.

I have openly admitted that Al Gore is bat s*** and I stand by that. He still is.

They genuflect at the altar of self-immolation while the rest of us celebrate having climbed to the top of the technological food chain. While we marvel at our advanced civilization, they cram into their hybrids to go lobby Congress, all the while claiming to be "progressive.'' News flash: Dimmer lights and less-safe automobiles are not progress

Once again, hybrids are not less safe. If a prius did get poor crash ratings, it has nothing to do with it being a hybrid.

Second, if we are at this great summit of technological food chain, why is it that trying to push further is such a terrible thing. It seems as if he is celebrating our great gains and then saying we should stop them. And the meaning of progressive is: favoring or promoting reform. So they are not promoting "progressive" as he sardonically put. They are doing it to the T. They are pushing us farther, requiring that the great American minds we have push forward, lead others and be progressive.

This has nothing to do with global warming. I believe global warming to be a load of crock. However, global warming or not, we will run out of fossil fuels. If we don't start innovating and start being more progressive we are going to find ourselves at war with Russia and the world over who gets the last bit of oil, and then we'll all be out. There is not disagreeing over the fact that we have a limited supply. A very limited supply. The more we can conserve and adapt the better. Whether it be through nuclear energy, wind energy or hybrid cars we have to adapt and I would rather slow changes pushed by the government than running out and having all prices skyrocket because we were not prepared. It is the governments job to look out for their citizens best interest when the citizens won't do it themselves. Thankfully we do have the ability to innovate so that we can see the way through this problem.

[AURaptor 1,126]

If anything this hurts business that can't respond, can't innovate and are so stuck in a one set mind(sound familar AUraptor) that they can't make it.

I have to admit, you lost me on that one.

So no, corn prices won't go up, and we will innovate and find other methods

But corn prices ARE going up. There are already crops which have been dumped so farmers can grow more corn, not for food products or to feed livestock, but for bio-fuel purposes. The very thing you say won't happen IS happening.

[autiger4life 3]

If anything this hurts business that can't respond, can't innovate and are so stuck in a one set mind(sound familar AUraptor) that they can't make it.

I have to admit, you lost me on that one.

Basically the business that are hurt are not the ones who have an entrepreneural spirit or can innovate, it is the opposite. The businesses that cannot adapt, change, and innovate end up being left behind. However the article tries to make it seem as if this tries to kill innovation and entrepreurship when it is the exact opposite, it encourages it.

But corn prices ARE going up. There are already crops which have been dumped so farmers can grow more corn, not for food products or to feed livestock, but for bio-fuel purposes. The very thing you say won't happen IS happening.

It is unfair to blame rising corn prices solely on ethanol production. Increasing Chinese imports and Midwest weather are also factors. The American farm community is already well aware of increasing corn prices, so in the short term we will see farmers cultivate more corn and even temporarily abandon other crops in favor of corn. In the long term, corn will not be the primary feedstock for ethanol. Cellulosic ethanol produced from non-food plants such as algae and switch grass along with agriculture and forestry waste will overtake corn-base ethanol. Recent announcements by Range Fuels, Inc. and others suggest that large scale cellulosic ethanol production is not as far off as originally thought.

So yes, you are right that the prices will rise in the short term. However, people(read as politicians) will soon realize that corn is not going to work for said reasons and we will switch to other sources.

Ethanol is a significant market for U.S. corn, consuming more than 1.8 billion bushels in 2006 to produce 4.9 billion gallons of renewable fuel. But ethanol’s value goes far beyond its role as a major use of corn. Ethanol plants have helped rejuvenate rural communities across the country by creating high-paying jobs, boosting local tax revenues and creating partnership opportunities for local businesses. Additionally, ethanol helps the environment by reducing greenhouse gas emissions and displacing the harmful additive MTBE from reformulated gasoline.

http://www.ncga.com/ethanol/main/index.asp

That's info from the Nation Corn Grower's Association

As it explains, this innovation creates American jobs which help rural communites. Maybe it isn't so bad after all.