Have you heard of this as a gasoline alternative, Jerusalem artichoke? From what I have seen they turn into ethanol rather easily.
I know the politicians would lose tons of money with oil future dividends. What a concept could actually give big oil companies some competitors. Gas prices could get lower causing food prices to drop. People could actually work less and the latchkey effect could go away in time.
Gasonline can be synthesized from biomass.
[en.wikipedia.org]