The alcohol industry has progressed and developed sufficiently under the fleeting largesse of the federal government that it's highly unlikely it will collapse under imminent, decimating budget cuts. Major corporations and investors of skill and sophistication have weighed alcohol's pros and cons and decided there is money to be made regardless of government's role. I've purposely avoided here the whole area of automobile adaptability. Powering cars is unquestionably the most immediate application for alcohol, offering the most dramatic returns in economic and political security. I've avoided that discussion here because there is such an obvious bottom line.
Automobiles run very well on alcohol, whether it's methanol or ethanol mixed with gasoline.
A reasonably adept weekend mechanic can make all the modifications necessary for a normal carburetor to run on pure alcohol, which automobiles do quite nicely. And with a bit more complicated conversion, cars can function remarkably well on methanol. So while the debate continues over the affordability and availability of alcohol as a fuel, there should be no question but that the stuff works. If you still doubt it, give me a call. There's a convenience store just down the road from me with a gasohol pump.