Solving the Fuel Crisis with Soybeans

 Motoring around in a diesel bus, I’m concerned over the growing costs of fuel.  As I bicycle around the limits of Selma, I am overwhelmed at the vast acres upon acres of soybeans. Everywhere you look you see fields of them, as far as the eye can see. Which gets me to wonder about bio-fuels and their use in the future.  We grow corn to produce ethanol, which by government standards must be included in gasoline. My friends, the Janssen family are the authors of the Live Lightly tour, whereby they are sustaining living in an RV powered solely by used vegetable oil. So as I pondered across these fields of green, I thought, why not soybeans. It is used in everything from milk to salads to cosmetics and drugs, so is it too far a stretch of the imagination that this could possibly one answer to our fuel crisis.  My days as an educator don’t make me wise or any smarter than the average American. But my study as a history major has me thinking about all things that eventually come full circle.  This was a nation, founded upon agrarian principles, and agriculture was the foundation that spurned this great nation.  Planters as they were known, the likes of Jefferson, Madison, Polk,  etc. knew that these men were the backbone of American growth as a nation.This problem won’t be solved by Barack Obama, because like the Democrat Party, he will just “tax and spend”.  And it surely won’t be solved by John McCain, because like the Republican Party on the other hand, he will “borrow and spend”. Just so you know, I am not Republican or Democrat, conservative or liberal, socialist or capitalist. When questioned, I simply reply that I am “all of the above”.  Example: As a capitalist, I want to make a lot of money and pay as little taxes as possible.  As a socialist, I make tax-deductible donations to charities and worthy causes, and I want my taxes to provide for a better society and care for those who truly cannot care for themselves. I digress here, but coming full circle, isn’t it just plausible the American farmer will once again be the answer to our fuel crisis. It sounds as if I’m on a political rant here, so I’ll just stop and save that for tomorrow.