Pandering to Big Agra: Senators Propose Loan Guarantees for Ethanol Pipeline

It's no secret to those in the agriculture business that corn's value skyrocketed over a few short years' time when government-assisted ethanol production kicked into high gear. The false paradigm of "green" fuel through corn-based ethanol made Washington, Big Agriculture Conglomerates, and Big Oil all look good as they got together to pimp corn-based ethanol as the environmental savior of America.

As with many environmental issues, the real science got ignored in favor of sensationalistic and emotionally-based claims of "helping the family farm in America" and "boosting the independent farmer." This along with ethanol being given the "green" label as an "alternative" fuel with "zero net carbs."

Small American farmer? Ya, right. Try multimillion dollar agricultural corporations and conglomerates like Conagra. Small American farmers rarely, if ever, see the benefits of government-run programs. It's Big Agra that pushes for these subsidies and Big Agra that benefits.

Ethanol is green? Another lie, at least in the way they're pushing it. Ethanol itself can be a great alternative fuel that's renewable, generally neutral, and definitely better for the environment than petroleum. However, corn-based ethanol (which they're pimping) is only renewable and has none of the other benefits. It actually COSTS about as much fuel to produce corn-based ethanol as it yields.

In fact, most attributes of corn-based ethanol are negative. It displaces food crop, yields less per acre than other ethanol-producing crops, and is more depleting of the soil by acre than many other (better) alternatives.

Now, of course, the Senators on the Big Agra payroll are looking to secure even more money for their benefactors by pushing for an ethanol pipeline in the name of "green."

Green money or green environment? You be the judge.