The Ethanol Papers - Paperturn manuscript - Flipbook - Page 64
the over-hyped goals. The last worldwide bubble, the Internet bubble, sent all
economies to new heights and the innovation will undoubtedly change mankind
forever. Unfortunately, the excesses of this unprecedented boom and its subsequent effects left us with the worst global economy ever experienced. In time,
as politicians and economists come out from under the covers of denial, they
will admit that this bust period was more devastating than even the Great Depression started in 1929.
That the world will eventually recover is indisputable. But the questions that
must be answered are what will be the stimulus to recovery and how long it will
take?
As we have long stated on TheAutoChannel.com, it’s our belief that the next
stimulus to economic well-being is what we all refer to today as “alternativeenergy” and “alternative-fuel vehicles.” When we are finally able to take the giant step for mankind that allows us to exchange the word “alternative” for “modern-day” or “present” when describing energy and fuel and transportation propulsion systems, we will advance to better financial health and wealth. And we
believe that this new boom period won’t last for just three or four years, but for
decades.
Furthermore, we believe that American economic success from the adoption of
new fuels and energy technology will spill over to the rest of the world and alleviate their economic malaise, as well.
To go down the path that leads to the new boom America must shake off the
gasoline yoke now, not in ten or fifteen or twenty-five years. Not only does this
mean that American carmakers have to get out of the gasoline-engine making
business, they have to reign in their attack-dog lobbyists and political henchmen
from hindering change on both national and local levels.
By themselves, the three U.S. car companies are incapable of making the necessary transformation. Bogged down by constipated corporate philosophies
and worker encumbrances they lack the resolve, and they clearly lack the financial resources.
(It’s interesting to note that the heads of the Big Three car companies didn’t go
before the British Parliament to beg for billions of dollars and save the American
auto industry, nor to the European Union’s Council, nor the Russian Federation
Assembly, nor China’s National People’s Congress. They didn’t even appear
before an OPEC meeting to ask for the $50 billion loan (although this group is
the most likely to benefit from the Big Three’s continuance of gasoline-powered
