Big Oil's Propaganda Machine

[DW11]

Leave it to Big Oil's propaganda machine to take advantage of the Japanese nuclear crisis.  During the nightly news last week a story about the latest details of the crisis was followed by a slick commercial by the oil industry promoting the idea of drilling for more oil.  Less than one year has passed since the Gulf Oil Spill and lesser industries would be lying low, but not Big Oil.  They are stepping up the attacks.

Gas is heading for $4 again, but that does not even slow down Big Oil's assault on ethanol.  Big Oil's stooges in Congress are pushing not only to end the blenders credit, but also to stop E15, end expansion of blender pumps, ethanol pipelines and infrastructure and remove support for next generation cellulosic ethanol. 

Even though Big Oil supporters would tell you that ethanol is a drop in the proverbial energy bucket, Big Oil obviously feels threatened by ethanol or else why would the big oil state members of congress be leading the anti-ethanol charge?

We spend trillions of dollars to protect the Middle East oil supplies, but we can't spend a few billion to support energy alternatives at home.   Keep in mind that ethanol is the only renewable fuel that has replaced motor fuels in this country to any significant degree.

If Big Oil wins the propaganda war (and they probably will because they outspend ethanol proponents by at least ten to one) our country loses.  Oh, and it will be bearish for long term corn prices.

[wt510151]

Large companies all have their propaganda going full bore when change is occurring. They are using their dollars to leverage their interests into congressional and state bills. We may consist of 1% of the country's population, but we don't have the bags of cash to balance our voice.

[JRfrom OR]

DW11, what an accurate and definitive post.  Big money interests control DC and are threatening our existence.  What a sad state of affairs for this once great country.  We've abandoned what we once stood for, for comfort and a quick buck.

[sonoma72]

You are right, big oil has an excellent propagand machine.   Additionally they have done an excellent job in gaining support from other groups in an attempt to blowup ethanol.  But I won't go there.  A couple weeks ago, Michael Milken was on CNBC morning, with Joe Kernan.   Many of you may remember the Junk Bond King from the mid 80's, one of the godfathers of financial tinkering.   Mr. Milken now runs the "Milken Institute," a think tank of sorts.  In his interview he did a section on energy and the "real" cost of oil.  the Milken Institute estimated this real cost, which includes the cost of "aircraft carrier fleets, lost lives, oil spills etc.  They came up with a nice figure, $14 gallon.  Maybe the "ethanol propaganda machine" should bust a move, and pick up on this one...  Or anyone looking for alternatives.  I encourage anyone to watch the interview, Milken does haver some good points.

[booked]

would you have a link ?

[sonoma72]

http://www.cnbc.com/id/15840232?play=1&video=3000012218

[booked]

Thanks

Interesting segment on energy.

[dairy mom]

who is protecting our food supply.  My DH was telling me about a story he read somewhere about making plastic out of a food (corn maybe).  Ok we replace oil with corn, questionable at best, now replace plastic with a food and what does everybody eat?

Maybe more alternatives need to looked at more seriously. What good does it do to have fuel for your car, and plastic everything if no one grows food or can afford to feed food?

[sonoma72]

I have two questions.  First who eats number two corn?  Second, since the feeders keep bashing ethanol, what is the true cost of putting a lb. of corn fed beef on the plate?   since all parties have "subsidized" products, lets break down the true cost of all products red meat, chicken, milk, etc., instead of just pointing out the corn farmers.   Lets dump all the dead weight.  This food/ fuel debate is getting old.   Maybe us grain guys should start supporting the goat lobby.  I am sure us ethanol guys will lose in the end, because every day it becomes more clear that eventually we will have no choice about what we grow or how we grow it.

[dairy mom]

sorry I didn't mean to offend.  Simply saying when you come right down to it there is a finite amount of oil, and a finite amount of arable land but an infinite appetite for food throughout the world.  Face it every where else in the world will become like America where adequate food is not enough.  No they are going to want an over abundance the same way Americans expect an over abundance.  What's going to happen when all those Indians and Chinese not to mention the rest of the 3rd world population, want a 3 bedroom home and a car  and a chicken in every pot or even more?  How is this poor little earth going to provide that?

I'm saying we need our innovators/inventors to become a little more imaginative coming up with alternatives to support the life style we have created here in America which face it will become the goal of the rest of the world as they develop.  You know it can be done.  Who would have imagined 200 years ago everything we'd be making from oil today.

I do not begrude grain guys their good fortune lately.  Quite frankly we're making money in milk right now.

Then again it may all be a moot point because if it keeps going the way it is we'll all be serfs to the might rich.