Personally, I’d offset that and go for a net reduction in big government by bundling that mandate with repealing a number of others, and by scrapping the hydrogen hoax, which Zubrin has revealed to be physically and economically impossible – a giant boondoggle staggering along only because of tax dollars pumped into it by ignorant or deceitful politicians.

By the way we don’t need “strong and continuous investment” in alternative energy. No subsidies, no complicated tax incentives or handouts or Byzantine regulations. Just the simple mandate, that all new cars sold in the US be flex fuel capable.

By the way, an important point: Zubrin did not call for a mandate that all cars be hybrids. Hybrids are different from FFVs. A hybrid contains a second engine, electric, along with the internal combustion engine (which is usually gasoline-only). An FFV has only one engine, a internal combustion engine but its ICE can burn not only gasoline but also alcohol fuel. It’s theoretically possible to have flex fuel hybrid, which has an alcohol capable ICE as well as an electric too.

But hybrid capability costs thousands of dollars per car, add hundreds of pounds of weight, and adds redundancy (TWO engines per car), complexity, and propensity for breakdowns. And by itself it does not wean us off gasoline, just at best slows the growth in the rise in gasoline use.

FFV capability costs $100 per car when made a standard part of the vehicle, and adds virtually nothing in weight and very little in complexity. And it’s a game-changer, switching us from a petroleum economy to an alcohol economy.

The distinction is VERY important; don’t mix them up!

Personally, I’d offset that and go for a net reduction in big government by bundling that mandate with repealing a number of others, and by scrapping the hydrogen hoax, which Zubrin has revealed to be physically and economically impossible – a giant boondoggle staggering along only because of tax dollars pumped into it by ignorant or deceitful politicians.

By the way we don’t need “strong and continuous investment” in alternative energy. No subsidies, no complicated tax incentives or handouts or Byzantine regulations. Just the simple mandate, that all new cars sold in the US be flex fuel capable.

By the way, an important point: Zubrin did not call for a mandate that all cars be hybrids. Hybrids are different from FFVs. A hybrid contains a second engine, electric, along with the internal combustion engine (which is usually gasoline-only). An FFV has only one engine, a internal combustion engine but its ICE can burn not only gasoline but also alcohol fuel. It’s theoretically possible to have flex fuel hybrid, which has an alcohol capable ICE as well as an electric too.

But hybrid capability costs thousands of dollars per car, add hundreds of pounds of weight, and adds redundancy (TWO engines per car), complexity, and propensity for breakdowns. And by itself it does not wean us off gasoline, just at best slows the growth in the rise in gasoline use.

FFV capability costs $100 per car when made a standard part of the vehicle, and adds virtually nothing in weight and very little in complexity. And it’s a game-changer, switching us from a petroleum economy to an alcohol economy.

The distinction is VERY important; don’t mix them up!

If more people understood the principles behind that one sentence, then government would work much more efficiently. Great article with lots of great points.

If more people understood the principles behind that one sentence, then government would work much more efficiently. Great article with lots of great points.

If strong and continuous investment in renewable energy had been a #1 priority over the past decade the current economical crisis would not be as bad; a huge new sector would have been opened creating A LOT new jobs now and in the near future.

If strong and continuous investment in renewable energy had been a #1 priority over the past decade the current economical crisis would not be as bad; a huge new sector would have been opened creating A LOT new jobs now and in the near future.

The best thing that we can do is be as efficient as possible! It’s something that we do not do nearly well enough. I often think how oil may not be an issue right now if we had treated it like the nonrenewable resource we know it to be all along. I remember learning what a nonrenewable resource was in the 2nd grade and I’ve been worried about running out ever since. Thanks for the input.

~anthony