Among the issues most commonly discussed are individuality, the rights of the individual, the limits of legitimate government, morality, history, economics, government policy, science, business, education, health care, energy, and man-made global warming evaluations. My posts are aimed at intelligent and rational individuals, whose comments are very welcome.

"No matter how vast your knowledge or how modest, it is your own mind that has to acquire it." Ayn Rand

"Observe that the 'haves' are those who have freedom, and that it is freedom that the 'have-nots' have not." Ayn Rand

"The virtue involved in helping those one loves is not 'selflessness' or 'sacrifice', but integrity." Ayn Rand

For "a human being, the question 'to be or not to be,' is the question 'to think or not to think.'" Ayn Rand

21 July 2013

Ethanol Mandate to Add Twenty to Thirty-Five Cents Per Gallon in 2014 to Gas Cost

The 20-21 July 2013 Wall Street Journal notes that the ever-increasing ethanol requirement would now force refiners to exceed the 10% ethanol content in gasoline over which consumers will not go.  Consequently, the refiners are forced to buy Renewable Energy Credits at great expense.  These are called RINs.  This is increasing the cost of gasoline by about 10 cents a gallon.  Because the mandate requirement goes up each year and the cost of RINs is skyrocketing, the cost per gallon in 2014 due to the ethanol mandate is expected to be between 20 and 35 cents a gallon!

Obama's wish to see gasoline prices skyrocket is being promoted by his administration by limiting oil production on federal land and off-shore, by limiting oil refinery capacity, by limiting pipeline construction, and with the ethanol mandate.  His White House energy adviser, Heather Zichal, is still making the false claim that ethanol use reduces climate change!  This is just one of many ways in which Obama's ideas and supporters are very old-fashioned.  Add this to the old-timers list of Marxism, peak-oil, environmental doom, and a longing for a ruling aristocracy dedicated to caring for the incompetent peasant masses, while enjoying the honors and wealth of their ruling positions.

As I have pointed out many times, ethanol use neither decreases pollution nor increases the energy supply, contrary to the claims made in 2007 when the ethanol mandate was put into effect.  The ethanol mandate would be repealed if Congress were at all interested in the best interest of the People.  That Congress has left this mandate in effect is proof-positive of the venality of Congress.  That they cannot be bothered to repeal such an unnecessary expense for Americans informs us of how little they actually do represent us.

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