Why is Brazil self sufficient on oil (w/ ethanol), but the US isn't?

Question

Actually I know why. It's because the democrats are sucking the ***** of the American auto unions, & the Bush Administration is a puppet of big oil. Our grand kids will be dealing with this problem

SOURCE: http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/display.article?id=6817

FYI-- A majority of Senate Democrats voted against raising req. fuel standards b/c their union supporters were against it

Answer 1

Yea... that's sayin it.. couldn't agree more !!!!!

Answer 2

Because dumb yokels voted for a pair of puppets for the super-rich that control the oil companies and the pharmaceutical companies, who control this nation's economy and policies.

This country is being kept back by the special interests and the Bush/Cheney administration. This country has the manpower, the technology and the brain-power to overcome anything but the super-rich won't allow it... the energy crisis? Hey, whenever there's a supposed "shortage" due to Katrina or any other nonsensical excuse, the oil companies post record profits and no one asks, "If there was a shortage, how can they sell more at higher prices?"

As yet, no one has asked why the American pharmaceutical companies have not brought about a single cure for any of the major diseases, illnesses or conditions in recent years... the answer is that is is more profitable for them to sell the public medicines that will disguises symptoms... and they continue to prolong human suffering throughout the world, as the filthy, greedy scums that they are that benefit at the expense of human beings. Why should Americans continue to subsidize other nations' pharmaceutical goods manufactured by American companies that receive American tax benefits and other incentives... yet American poor, elderly and disabled must decide on a monthly basis whether to buy medicines or food... but Canadians, Mexicans and Philippinoes pay less for the same pharmaceuticals and our elected officials want to prevent the elderly, the poor and disabled from buying their medications across the boarder where it's cheaper so they can enjoy a decent meal!

Look, big oil companies do not want us to have energy efficient cars or boilers or generators... that would only cut into their profits... is it so difficult to understand?

What is so difficult to understand that the puppets for the super-rich in the White House are betraying the poor, the elderly and the disabled and the general public for the enrichment of the super-rich?

Answer 3

First off your political rant is uncalled for and is not proper for public discourse. I would hope your parent would raise you better.
Next, The USA is a highly industralised nation of near 400 million. There are more trees in the rain forests of Brazil than Brazilans. So on a small scale, yes you can substitute their energy needs with Ethanol. However, How much Rain forest will chop down to grow sugar cane? Also what about the energy spent growing, harvesting & processing? The energy spent does not equal the energy imput. Ethanol is helpful,but is not total solution. Also Oil has many other uses from plastics to lubricants. It will be around for quite a while.....

Answer 4

Ethanol is only as cheap as it is in this country because it is subsidized by the federal government. Also, the infrastructure of the energy industry in the US is not set up for ethanol, we can generate less energy per pound of corn/saw grass than we can a pound of oil, so logistically we get less energy per hauled unit, also ethanol corrodes traditional piping used to move gasoline, so we'd have to replace it all at a great cost.

Other countries came into the came so late they don't have to replace infrastructure, they could just build the infrastructure they didn't have with new technology- much cheaper than replacing everything.

Answer 5

Of course we could be self-sufficient, but the owners of this country do not want that. They are interested in making more money. Money for which you have to work. They know that you need the oil and that you are willing to pay any price for it. The resources are limited, but the human workforce is a re-growable resource and as expandable. It doesn't matter that you have to work more to be able to afford the oil they are selling. It doesn't matter that your children do not get the education they deserve nor the health care they need. It doesn't matter to them if you and your family dies tomorrow, because they know that the human resource that is you will regrow; with a different face, with a different name.

Answer 6

The US produces 700% more ethanol than Brazil does. The fact is MOST people in Brazil can not afford cars or even need cars. Their DEMAND for gas is almost nonexistent compared to the US. The REAL problem are Dumb *** Americans driving SUV's bit*hing about politicians or someone else for their own stupid decision. It is my fault and your fault, it is our fault as over consumers. But nice info on the Dem vote ! very nice bravo!

Answer 7

Lets see here because Brazils population is only 186 million people. While the United States population is almost 300 million people! See the difference! More people need more power

power = OIL

Answer 8

We do not have a free market when it comes to oil or it's additives. In Brazil the farmers make the ethanol themselves then drive a tanker to a market and sell it . Now that's a free market. Your right everybody is in somebodies pocket if there a politician.

Answer 9

Many reasons. Like already stated BIG OIL but lets not forget Ford, GM, and DCX! They are the ones that conned Clinton in to lowering CAFE standards allowing them to build bigger and less fuel efficient SUV's because they were more profitable.

Answer 10

First of all, they drill for oil in their own back yard and then add the ethanol to it and sell it to thier own people. If the Liberal Democrat Weenies of this country would stop blocking the drilling in Anwar we grow enough corn in this country to do the same.

Answer 11

"democrats are sucking the ***** of the American auto unions"?

How nice.It's called DECENT BENEFITS FOR PEOPLE WHO WORK HARD.

Anyway,its about thr 4cent/gallon tarrif the no-one will touch.