The world has become addicted to liquid petroleum fuels. It has been advocated that the U.S. should move toward energy security by reducing foreign sources of petroleum and expanding the role of biomass as a domestic renewable energy source. This path would presumably result in fewer carbon emissions and less environmental consequences over traditional sources, while promoting sustainable economic development. Some energy sources, such as corn and soybean, suggested to replace imported oil, are beginning to be used for generating ethanol and biodiesel fuels, the only currently available alternative liquid transportation fuels. Several other agronomic and forest crops, such as switchgrass, cottonwood, alder and willow, and numerous organic byproducts, are currently under consideration or investigation. A major push to investigate the production and conversion of these renewable or underused energy feedstocks has been funded for several years, involving dozens of scientists and engineers in many states and countries. It is probable that much research remains to be done before ethanol from cellulose will be ready technologically and economically for prime time, and many of the solutions that have surfaced will compete directly with resources needed for food or animal feed. The presentation will submit some of the unstated or suppressed assumptions underlying current programs and the seductively simplistic and sometimes misleading policies, suggest the urgent need to decrease demand for liquid fuels for transportation, indicate that other renewable sources with great potential have not been exploited fully, and articulate the need to modify current assumptions and investigate other options.