Sensible Energy

Ethanol doesn't save energy and is driving up food prices. Midwest flooding has exacerbated the looming crop shortages, which may open the door to more ethanol imports from Brazil--look for more of the rainforest to be cut down, greenies, because you are against precision US drilling and clean nuclear power. As far as the government's role in picking winners and losers, my friend Mick says McCain needs to read Popular Mechanics, but at least he has a more measured, common sense view on ethanol and energy than his opponent.

Obama is displaying considerable economic ignorance, pushing ethanol and taking money from ethanol special interests, jetting around on ADM's dime, while demonizing traders (who fulfill an important role in his home state. Sen. Dunce Durbin has already spoken on this) and playing fast and loose with the facts. CBS2:

McCain spokesman Tucker Bonds said McCain has supported efforts to close the loophole and noted the bill in question was signed into law by former President Clinton.

"The fact that Barack Obama is attacking John McCain, despite McCain's leadership on the issue, shows that Barack Obama is driven by the partisan attacks that Americans are tired of," Bounds said.

McCain's campaign supplied a copy of a letter Gramm wrote to Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., on June 13 in which the former senator denied charges that the adoption of the bill was a "secret maneuver." Gramm said he had "nothing to do with the writing of the provision" on regulation of energy trading.

Democrats are manufacturing a phony issue, trying to distract from the fact that it is they and their radical eco allies who have blocked domestic energy exploration and new refineries for 30 years, even when the technology is vastly improved. Dennis Byrne notes that we have oil under the Great Lakes as a last resort. Even Canada is drilling there. And think how expensive the Chicago gas would be over time if, in addition to our crushing taxes, BP weren't allowed to expand and modernize their nearby refinery? As it is, it's not enough. But Barack Obama doesn't really care, because he thinks prices should be even higher--he believes the global warming demagoguery, notwithstanding evidence to the contrary.

Don't look to Democrats for a sensible energy policy.