I do not like the idea of expanding, or even retaining, ethanol subsidies. I do not think that ethanol subsidies are good for the country, or for poor people, or even for our cars. And I am unconvinced of the wisdom of Republicans pandering to a state that votes Democratic on the Presidential level.
I am not going to keep my mouth shut on that simply because candidates disagree with me. I never have. I’m not going to start now.
Why do we still give Iowa the time of day?
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Not that this will make a difference. Trump supporters are by and large not conservatives, so much as “Give me MY slice of the pie” personality cultists. The paranoia about even legal immigration is evidence of this. When I hear people extolling him for “going in and turning over the tables,” I want to then ask: “What’s to stop him from overturning your table once you have[and you WILL have one] a disagreement? Because that’s how he rolls.”
It’s not just Trump. Candidates in general largely pander to Iowa on ethanol.
True. And to be fair, most candidates’ supporters seem to be “My slice of the pie” personality cultists. Nothing like jumping in with both feet early.
FWIW, my dumb ethanol policy plan
1 – End all subsidies and mandates for using ethanol.
2 – End all import duties on imported fuel ethanol.
3 – It’s been widely reported that almost all modern cars could be flex-fuel capable (i.e. run on up to E85 or M85) with software changes, or for less than $100 worth of changes at any rate. If this is in fact true, require all new gasoline-engine cars and light trucks to be flex-fuel capable effective 3 model years from the implementation of this plan.
The basic idea here is that if you can make fuel ethanol cost effectively (and we don’t care if it’s foreigners who do this; sending money to Brazil is better than Saudi Arabia), then you have someone to sell it to. And it gives us long-term flexibility. But if you can’t make money on it, then the government’s not going to bail you out.
It’ll never happen. There’s no opportunity for graft.
I agree with you completely on this, Moe, and I’m very glad you continue to speak out about it. Crony capitalism is always a Bad Idea.
Ted Cruz is missing a real opportunity here. Do you know what happens when the corn subsidies are gone? Cheaper tacos!!!
This may be one of the reasons why he’s come out against it, but I rather doubt it. Cubanos aren’t into the corn products as much as the Mexicans, so I’m thinking it’s more a principled stand against subsidies.