Defense Production Act

Did anyone read today’s USDA media advisory about Obama ordering the Department of Defense and the USDA to work together under the Defense Production Act (DPA) to develop and store biofuels for the military? Now, I’m no dove, but this feels … too authoritarian.

I personally believe the increasing dependence on fuel from contemporary plants is a mistake and here we have what appears to be the national government quazi-federalizing the production of biofuels for military purposes. Since the Department of Defense has only contracted with biofuel producers in Nevada, Oregon and the Gulf Cost, this may seem innocuous. However …

The subsidized push for biofuel coupled with more and more land given over to produce crops for biofuel and not food, is a disturbing trend. Should the Department of Defense’s need for fuel suddenly escalate beyond these three operations’ ability to produce the needed military-grade fuel, you can bet that even more land will be demanded to produce fuel crops, food be damned.

Now, for the more apocalyptic among us, marry these acts under the DPA with Executive Oder 10997 and Executive Order 10998 and any U.S. president can take over any amount of farm land and its means of production deemed necessary to produce biofuels for the needs of the Department of Defense.

Viewed in isolation, this seems harmless to many. But, history is riddled with things happening in isolation that when aggregated together cause a shift. We need to recognize the small steps that lead to bigger problems. And I see the federalization of agriculture and fuel production a big friggin’ problem.

It is in wartime that the federal government is able to increase its powers with the consent of a fear filled populace . With that in mind , we have been at war since 1776 with little time to rest at peace . Not excluding the war on drugs , poverty , illiteracy , obesity , etc.

Wayne S. : poly-ticks aside, Obama just told them to do what they are already doing ! In Six months or less there will be a photo opportunity, this will be forgotten
and our military will continue to quietly work on Biofuels, especially those types that don't need two gallons of Petroleum to make 1 gallon of bio-fuel !

At just under 20% of U.S. budget -Dept of Defense is one of the top three in total fuels usage ! Big AL

Just an aside, during WW11 when the Japanese were loosing the war, they were cutting down Evergreens and digging up their roots to make a gasoline for their planes
today thanks to 65+ years of work, Japan today is heavily Re-forested ! A.L.

Hi Wayne
Except that both of the executive orders I mentioned do not require the nation to be at war for the president to evoke them into force. All the president has to do is declare a state of emergency and that's all that is needed to trigger those powers ... powers that are clearly not in line with the philosophy of checks and balances of a triple-branch federal government.