Re: More Gasoline

Posted by Steve - IN on March 01, 2003 at 15:02:05 from (12.222.18.37):

In Reply to: More Gasoline posted by PAQ on February 28, 2003 at 18:58:59:

PAQ,
We all hope there's plenty of cheap fuel around for our tractors. Seems to me that main thing standing in the way are those who take and tell versus those who make and sell.

The cheap gas we've had is from the oil companies that make and sell. Yet I see someone telling us they make 40 - 50 % profit. I want to own part of that oil company! I own some shares of Exxon Mobil (XOM) in my SEP - just your average big oil outfit. They make 5%. That's 5 cents profit on every dollar worth of oil they sell. Some grocery stores do better than that. Those who take your taxes or contributions and want to tell you how much tax to pay on that gas, or tell you what kind of vehicle to use it in (like the SUV flap) are way off on simple numbers like oil company profits. If they're that wrong on simple things - how can you trust them on more complicated decisions like what kind of fuel to use, or what kind of vehicle to use?

Ethanol from corn has a few problems. 1. It only has 9-10K BTU per gallon versus 18-19K BTU per gallon in gasoline. 2. It sucks up water which makes it harder to transport and store. 3. You have to expend a fair amount of energy to make it into a fuel. A present it's only half way competitive because of tax subsidies. I'd like to think some plant DNA genius could make corn with more ears per plant and more BTU per gallon that's literally in danger of combustion in the field - the same way companies sell super sweet yellow corn hybrids derived from old Indian maize. But I'm sure that somewhere along the way, we'll run into some naysayers who will tell us this DNA modified corn will somehow destroy the environment, or the company that invented it is making "excessive" profits and is un-American in the same way Carnegie was vilified for steel, Ford was vilifed for cars, DuPonts were vilified for nylon and Gates for software.

If war with Iraq is all about oil, then why didn't we just stay there and stay in Kuwait when we were there 12 years ago? Why don't we just invade Venezuela? Maybe western Canada or Norway? They're a lot closer and don't have any nerve gas or missiles to defend themselves. Seems to me that argument doesn't hold water. And those who advance that idea expect us to forget that we were attacked only a year and half ago. We were also attacked on 12/7/41 - and 1.5 years later national debt as a percentage of nation income was approximately double what it is now. It's curious that those who tell you about the horrible debt are oftentimes the same ones who tell you about the existence of the mythical social security trust fund.

In short, it seems to me that the prosperity and products we enjoy are from things those nasty, greedy corporations make and sell (and that no one has ever shaken the hand of a one of those corporations - so they're easy to hate; but everyone knows friends, neighbors, relatives, and fellow Americans who make up those corporations). If governments, the ones who take and tell, did a better job of things; then the former Soviet Union would have had fabulous prosperity. Or closer to the point here -- consider tractors: Sell your 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's vintage JD, IH, Case, Allis, Ford, etc made by some greedy corporation and buy some similar vintage Belarus or Czech or Romanian machine. Or, if you want a new tractor, buy a Chinese one. They were all made by experts in government working for the common good in a workers paradise - where wealth and income was taken based on ability and distributed based on need. Weren't those Soviet, Eastern Europe, and Chinese machines made just that way? According to the anti-capitalist, and borderline anti-American stuff I've read here, they must be wonderful machines! Any takers here who actually belive that and want to make that trade? I doubt it. Most would be astounded if anyone here went out and acutally did that kind of deal. At least we could credit you for having the strength of your convinctions, or putting your money where your mouth is. On the other hand those who seem to like to bite the hand that makes their life better than any other country in the world, much less anyone in a workers paradise enjoys probably deserve a bit of contempt.

Steve

Follow Ups:

• Re: Re: More Gasoline snitkawl 15:34:05 03/01/03 (1)
  • Re: Re: Re: More Gasoline Steve - IN 00:38:25 03/02/03 (0)

Post A Followup Name: E-Mail: Subject: Re: Re: More Gasoline Comments: Optional Link URL: Link Title: Optional Image URL: Email Notification: If you check this box, email will be sent to you whenever someone replies to this message. Your email address must be entered above to receive notification. This notification will be cancelled automatically after 2 weeks.

TRACTOR PARTS	TRACTOR MANUALS

We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]