In my small mind the root problem is government intervention in the free enterprise process. It artificially forces us down a dubious technology road with tax dollars. By subsidizing its chosen technologies against other promising technologies it actually slows the progress toward the development of real world workable energy solutions.
I'm with you at least part of the way on that as I've seen it with my own eyes. Just my opinion but I believe the ethanol from corn thing is a boondoggle and a waste of funding.
On the other hand there are a lot of things we take for granted that would not have gotten off the ground without government funding. I believe the Internet is one example. And no Al Gore didn't invent it but he was responsible for legislation to promote the research funding.
The Space race is responsible for a multitude of technologies and products that would never have come about if not for the government funding of NASA.
