Nice post, Sburn (and not just because we're in agreement).
I put a similar one up on f150Online quite a number of months ago only in it I was more concerned with the total energy cost to produce E85 and the harmful effects on the environment. Your points are equally valid. It's clear, isn't it, that Big Ag (Cargill, ADM and the like) are the ones benefiting from the ethanol craze and are the driving force behind it?
Southpaw, I liked your reference to light rail and strongly believe we should be moving more goods by ordinary rail as opposed to long haul trucks (but that's another lobby isn't it)? There's been some talk of light rail in Tucson, but I don't really see it as viable. We have no real "City Center" and we're too small. We're a bit like Colorado Springs. It can work well in cities like Phoenix and Denver though, and I'm happy to see them trying it.
I think I like the idea of diesel replacing gas as a fuel for ordinary vehicles. It does truly seem to be a renewable energy source.
But hey, guys - if enough of us get behind these ideas and make enough noise, government WILL start to listen! We just need to keep convincing other people that our ideas are right.
- Jack