The American Spectator

br> — Danny L. Newton br> Cookeville, Tennessee /p>

The more fundamental issue in this oil addiction is not whether we’re turning corn or sugar or whatever into ethanol, regardless of the raw material’s country of origin.

The fundamental question demanding an immediate answer is this: Why do we, who sit on extraordinary, plentiful untapped oil and natural gas reserves as well as unmined coal that also can be converted into diesel fuel, lack the common sense to explore and then use that energy we have within our sovereign borders?

Another equally compelling question that also demands an answer very soon: Why don’t we put realistic nuclear power options on the table?

It’s time we admit that, indeed, denial is not an African river and that contemporary political actions have endangered our basic freedom, because we’re still picking at energy nits, rather than embracing genuine, long-term solutions.

It’s also time we face and accept the responsibility — as adults, not a bunch of adolescents — to free ourselves of enslavement to not just foreign oil, but now also foreign natural gas.

p>But do we have the common sense coupled with the will to survive to do these things? br> — C. Kenna Amos Jr. br> Princeton, West Virginia /p> p> So Iowa has sugar cane? I think Iowa’s crop is corn used in the production of ethanol. Pool old Louisiana grows sugar cane. Not far from my home is an empty, decrepit, defunct ethanol plant that was supposed to produce ethanol for fuel. Perhaps, someone with lots of money will come in and tune the machinery up, sign up the sugarcane farmers and produce ethanol. Oh, that is, of course, some crooked politician doesn’t get his fingers in the pie and screw up the works.