Comments on: Majority of Americans prefer ethanol

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:03:13 +0000

If you watch politics closely, you will find 1200 is a very typical number for this type of poll. Outside of your “little” world ethanol provides 1,000s of jobs, good incomes for 100,000′s of farmers and keeps gas prices low and cleans the air. Maybe you should expand your horizons a bit?

By: george

george — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:46:56 +0000

1200 people is hardly a survey, especially when they don’t state who was polled and where the poll was taken[Iowa corn farmers?]. In my little world, I’m not aware a single person who is in favor of corn-based ethanol.

By: Tim

Tim — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 18:07:53 +0000

Chris, thanks for the well thought out comment. You kind of make my point in reverse. No business in America is “unfettered” by government intervention. And with a majority of the public, at least from this poll, supporting ethanol, what group of politicians will change the status quo? So if you look at the ethanol companies based on reality, they make sense as investments. IMO.

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 17:49:32 +0000

In my opinion polls don’t really mean much. I believe a far superior way to gauge what people want is by their *actions*.

And this is done by either buying (or not buying) ethanol in the marketplace.

If the ethanol companies are profitable, then it is sign that true demand exists. If they are not profitable, then they are squandering scarce resources, and the resources should be used on something more desirable.

So I believe actions speak louder than words.

One caveat, if the ethanol companies are to make it, then they should do so on their own merit. That is, no government assistance. If the polls are true, there should be no problems.

Once government comes in and tilts the tables in one direction or another, we have an artificial situation…a fantasy.

If an alternative energy source is really desired, then it needs to pass the *unfettered* market test.