Don't know if I'd broadly label it a "lefty" crusade, or even ill-considered. The concept of biofuels is a valid one--the idea is converting solar power to a fuel usable in our current technological infrastructure, and doing it in real time instead of using the stored solar energy in oil. A lot of rational people of all political stripes have seen the potential here, and as I said, there are some promising leads.

The problem is when the government gets into it with the typical sledge hammer and politically-motivated tax policy and subsidies. And believe me, both political parties have been enthusiastically kissing the butt of Archer Daniels Midland and the like.

The way government can help if it must is by funding basic science in some areas. The company that is developing the bacteria to create biofuels from all sorts of waste is partnered with GM and universities, but also with Argonne National Laboratories.

Corn ethanol subsidies in 2006 were around $7 billion. This is about the same as the amount of money spent on all nine of America's national laboratories.