[mdlug-discuss] Ethanol vs gasoline economy [Was: [mdlug] Automotive technical info ...]

[Aaron Kulkis]

Robert Adkins wrote:
> Wolfger wrote:
>> On 5/29/07, Robert Adkins <radkins at impelind.com> wrote:
>>
>>   
>>> Wars are great the economy of a
>>> nation involved in one, especially if they are winning the war, due to
>>> greater numbers and better manufacturing capability.
>>>     
>> <sarcasm>Oh, yeah... This ongoing war in Iraq is just sending our
>> economy through the roof!</sarcasm> And just look at the great job
>> market in Iraq! That is, if you don't mind risking your life.
>>   
>     The Iraq War isn't anywhere near the scale of WWII.
> 
>     In certain parts of the country, the economy is certainly booming 
> due to the Iraq War. There's a new military vehicle that is built at a 
> plant somewhere in the south. (I heard a story about it on NPR.) It's 
> called the MRAP and the company building it has increased it's size 
> exponentially since the start of the Iraq War.
> 
>     If the Iraq War was on the scale of WWII, then we'd be seeing a far 
> greater boost to the overall economy.
> 
>>>     Unless you want to ignore the historical realities of World War II...
>>>     
>> I guess you want to ignore the not-so-historical realities of the Iraq War.
>> Nobody says it better than the standard stock market disclaimer:
>> "Past performance is not a guarantee of future results."
>> Just because WWII was good for the economy, doesn't mean every war will be.
>>   
>     Unless you want to ignore the scale of the conflict...
> 

That's the biggest, STUPIDEST myth ever told.

If war were so great for the economy, then why shouldn't we just
have a permanent war-time economy, and have the Air Force and Army
go around blowing stuff up all over the country every day....by your
theory, we would be in economic nirvana within months.

The only reason WW2 was good for the economy is because we were
EXPORTING stuff like crazy to the British and the Russians, and
getting tangible payment (gold) in return.  Our OWN participation
in the war was no better for the economy than any other war is good
for the economy of a belligerant nation (i.e. investing lots of
labor and material into stuff that gets destroyed sooner rather
than later is sound economics only to absolute fools).

Wars are a terrible drain on any nation...the only reason to fight
them is when the cost of NOT fighting is even higher (as is the
current case).