Is 100% gasoline un-American?

Question

I've noticed many gas stations are posting signs that say their gas is 100% gasoline, no ethanol. I guess I really don’t mind as long as I can get from Point A to Point B without any issues. I’ve never really thought about it before. But the other day I overheard someone talking with an attendant at a station that sells 100% gas and he said that doing so increases our dependency on foreign oil and helps to keep prices higher. He then proclaimed this particular station wasn't going to get his business anymore because it was "un-American" and bad for our Nation’s wellbeing. I know that the attendant can't do anything about the prices or if their gas or the purity of it but do you think its "un-American" to buy 100% pure gasoline? I guess I agree that it takes money away from local farmers who produce corn for the ethanol and it does probably affect how much oil we purchase and may very well serve to keep prices high, but to call it "un-American"? I don't know. What do you think?

Answer 1

The man has a very good point.

The oil companies don't want the US to find that there are other forms of fuel in the world. After a $32.1 billion profit year, it is hard to see that profit dwindle due to other forms of fuel being used.

Think about it - if someone figures out how to power something strictly with ethanol, or 90 % ethanol and 10 % gasoline, what is that going to do with the oil companies bottom line?

If they truly cared about the American people, their thoughts would be on how they can aid in the situation of the people being strapped to pay for such outrageous gas prices. But all they do is "repair and upgrade" refineries during times that oil prices have come down. It is a way to keep supply low and demand high. Pretty basic in the world of retail. If something is harder to get, there is more of a demand to get it. And we absolutely NEED gas and oil.

Answer 2

As a result of ethanol, the price of corn has gone up. That means the price of gas AND the price of food made from corn is increasing. Also, forests are being cleared to plant corn since it is now selling at a premium. Your precious rain forests are being cleared at an alarming rate.

Ethanol reduces gas milage so that $3.25 doesn't get you as far as it used to. So you're getting even less for your money. For that matter, lower octane fuels also lower gas milage. If you use a 93 octane 'premium' fuel, you'll generally make up for the difference in price by the added gas milage.

Some engines were designed to use <91 octane fuels, but not all. To say 'all' is an ignorant generalization. In fact, engines designed to use higher octanes are actually hurt through the use of lower octane fuels and the associated deposits and build up which requires expensive repairs.

Lastly, we have plenty of oil. We have limited and outdated refining capacity and we're not allowed to get to the oil WE have because of outdated restrictions.

Answer 3

First, the fact that we import oil and now import about 13% of our gasoline is a function of liberals restricting oil production domestically and refinery building withinour borders. That is what should be considered unAmerican. Second I find it immoral that because we convert corn, a food source, into fuel many of the worlds poorest are now faqcing starvationdue to increae in food prices. I am sure youhave noticed the increase in meat prices, dairy prices and cereal prices in the last several years, all due to increase in feed costs. If the hypocritical left were interested in the wellbeing of America and the worlds starving poor, ethanol would be outlawed, oil production would be encouraged, and refineries would be built, but no their anti human anti growth agenda demands higher prices and death.

Answer 4

Lets look at the situation, unless it is extremely hot most modern vehicles will run 10% alcohol with no adverse effects plus it burns cleaner for the environment. If the temperature exceeds 90 or 100 degrees you can have problems with the alcohol causing vapor lock but that is a small portion of the operating time for most Americans. It is a proven fact that growing corn and producing alcohol for fuel is effective and you get a positive energy gain from doing it, plus the byproduct from it makes an excellent cattle feed for beef production. Now the big question, who would you rather give money to, American farmers and other Agriculture related businesses or some fanatic in the middle east that wants nothing more then to see you die?

Answer 5

Blaming a gas station attendant (or even the oil companies or puppet-politicians) for America's dependency on oil is absolutely insane. Insane in the membrane. If someone wants to blame someone for America's oil dependency then they can start with theirself.

What do you purchase? You have options. I drive an internal combustion engine vehicle just like most Americans do. It's not a hybrid. I've made no adjustments to anything that didn't come from the auto factory.

I run my vehicle on something I can pick up for free so I really am completely unaffected by rising oil prices. I've been doing this since gas prices spiked just as we went to Iraq the second time around.

I really am unconcerned with America's dependency on oil. But I hardly blame people who aren't the ones making the purchase when I hear someone whine about high fuel prices or America's reliance on oil. The customer is the king and no one else is to blame for their purchases and their selection save for the customer alone.

He who has the gold makes the rules and the customer has the gold until they give it to someone else in exchange for products or services. That's your basic lesson in economics for the day. People can either make excuses or make things happen.

Answer 6

You get people like that. Some people don't seem to realize that the kind of rhetoric you might use in some venues (like here on Y/A) is not appropriate in others--like your example.

Technically, this loudmouth is correct to the extent that we do need to reduce our dependance on foreign oil. And--as a small way of helping our country, using ethanol (or a noumber of other strategies) is certainly commendable (also usually saves you money!).

But this bird is over the top in calling the gas station "un-American." And--I will guarantee you this--a year ago, when this yo-yo still thought dishing environmentalism was PC, he was calling anyone who used alternative energy of any kind "socialist," unAmerican," etc.

Answer 7

Both candidates back the "Cap and Trade" bill that will effectively cost every family in America thousands of dollars a year. At least McCain is coming around to realize our country needs a comprehensive energy plan that includes not only the long-term solutions but the short-term ones like additional oil drilling and nuclear power. To Jackie, no Bush only has a small part ot the blame. The liberals who have halted exploration amd production have caused this problem. Polar bears are not really endangered but they are using the endangered species act as an end around to keep us indebted to foreign interests. We have plenty of energy resources right here but the environmental lobby (aka liberals) are the be squarely blamed for our current situation... Many put a lot of the blame for high gas prices on speculators but that is only partially true. The efforts by Democrats working for the environmental lobby to restrict exploration, production, and refining have created the speculative environment that has allowed these speculators to help drive up the market. Should our lawmakers come to a concensus to greatly boost production and adequately fund research for alternatives, the speculation would immediately become a marginal part of the cost of energy. Nothing would suit me better than to see these speculators lose their shirts betting on high fuel costs continuing. Four decades ago, Ben Stein drafted a comprehensive energy plan for the Nixon administration. None of his recommendations were employed and today's market definitely reflects our lawmakers continued lack of proactively working for the benefit of the American people. Every member of Congress who is refusing to solve this problem RIGHT NOW should be expelled from Washington along with their special interest lobbyists as should Obama and Pelosi.

Answer 8

i think what most don't realize is that ethanol is a big sham for politicians to get votes. ethonal does not reduce oil consumption by much. it also takes one unit of energy to get one unit of energy out of ethanol. it's a break even deal at best. it takes one unit of energy to get 30 units out of oil. we gain nothing with ethanol. also, if the us planted every farm acre in corn(which isn't going to happen) it would only give us enough ethanol to supply 17% of gas needs. using all of this corn for ethanol is only going to make the price of a lot of other things go higher. and government subsidised ethanol plants will make our taxes higher. ethanol is not the answer.

Answer 9

California has been using about 10% ethanol for years and this fuel is rated 87- 91 octane.

Answer 10

ask the tax man...in some states over 40% of the price is TAXES!!! is that unAmerican? more so than pure gasoline. and you get worse gas mileage using ethanol as well. it's not so great. go with a hybrid or biodiesel which spreads the smell of french fries and chinese food far and wide!!!