Brazil has positioned itself to become a dominant producer of ethanol from sugar cane, the most energy efficient ethanol that can be produced right now. Brazil has excess capacity and is building more. The foresight of their leadership during the Gas Crisis of the late 1970's has put them in the forefront of energy independence. When President Carter proposed the same kind of program for America in 1977 the Republicans refused to consider an alternative energy program and the Democratic leadership of that time was not much help in focusing the attention of the Federal Government on Alternative Fuel. The little funding that President Carter was able to accomplish was cut in half by the Republican Administration of Ronald Reagan.
Now Brazil in in the position to send 8 million gallons of ethanol into the United Sates each week and could increase that to daily if the U.S. Government would remove the fifty four cents a gallon imposed on Brazilian Ethanol. and welcome their Eco-sustainable renewable, non polluting energy into the Country. The Current Republican mantra is more drilling for oil. Drilling will not solve the current price crisis nor will it prepare America for a fossil fuel free future. It is time to consider the future of energy, the future of energy will be a renewable, sustainable energy and if the United States does not begin now to support and encourage a massive undertaking in research and development, we will again be left at the mercy of other countries that are able to supply energy to us. By removing the tariff on Brazilian Ethanol now the U.S. will ease the current price spiral, and by mandating that all gasoline sold in America contain a significant percentage of Ethanol it will spur on research and development by American producers. The time for leadership is now, drilling is an old idea for an old energy whose time is over. The future of energy is a sustainable, renewable energy.
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