Posted on 02/02/2016 12:36:43 PM PST by Citizen Zed
For nearly three decades, politicians, pollsters, and pundits have considered support for ethanol a litmus test for legitimacy in Iowa presidential politics. Former Vice President Al Gore, who won the Iowa Democratic caucuses in 2000, famously explained the strategizing over ethanol policies that has occurred in many campaign war rooms over the years:
[First-generation ethanol I think was a mistake. . . . One of the reasons I made that mistake is that I paid particular attention to the farmers in my home state of Tennessee, and I had a certain fondness for the farmers in the state of Iowa because I was about to run for president. ]
The question commentators and analysts are trying to answer now, is this: After the Iowa caucus victory by Senator Ted Cruz of Texas, who openly opposed the renewable fuel standard (RFS) -- i.e., the federal law that mandates certain levels of ethanol be belnded into the nation's fuel supply -- is the era of ethanol policy dominating the Iowa primary process over?
(Excerpt) Read more at weeklystandard.com ...
I wonder how much Cruz’ position cost him at the polls? 5%??? More???
A short anecdote detailing the DIFFERENCE between the crass, power-seeking POLITICIANS of yesterday and today with a REAL STATESMAN. It’s most likely WHY the man in this story had to be murdered. You attach the name of YOUR favorite POLITICIAN as appropriate.
Just prior to the 1982 national legislative session, the late Georgia congressman Larry McDonald (killed in KAL 007) toured the state with then-Senator Sam Nunn on one of those periodic pre-session dog and pony shows. Traveling with them was a young female reported for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Early in the tour, Larry chatted with this young lady and told her that if she sent honestly reported events on the tour, her bosses back in Atlanta would either “spike†them or rewrite them to put the worst possible spin on them to make him look as bad as possible. She replied that, as responsible journalists, they wouldn’t do that. Larry chuckled.
At one of their stops, the audience consisted largely of local peanut farmers. Sam Nunn went first with a report on the upcoming Senate agenda. During the Q&A, one of the farmers rose and asked his position on the peanut subsidy. Nunn replied that, since it was so important to the Georgia economy, he supported it and would continue to do so.
When it was Larry’s turn, he reported what he believed was in store for the House session. When the Q&A began, the same farmer rose and asked Larry about the peanut subsidy. Larry paused – then declared that he did not and could not support it as it was completely unconstitutional and went on for several minutes to explain why. When he finished, there was stony silence for what must have seemed an eternity. Then ever so slowly, a few of them clapped, then more applauded then, in small groups they began standing to give a standing ovation to the man who’d just told them a truth many of them never thought they’d ever hear from an elected representative, most likely because – in their hearts – they knew it WAS the truth.
Later that day, the young reporter came to Larry with tears in her eyes and told him that, while she’d reported EVERYTHING that happened at that earlier stop, her editor in Atlanta had rewritten it in such a way as to make McDonald look like a buffoon.
But then, the Atlanta Fishwrapper ALWAYS did that to Larry.
And that’s why Larry had to be “eliminated”. And it’s why guys like Cruz and Trump had better watch their “6”.
Unless, of course...??
Oldie but goodie - “Don’t believe everything you read in the papers.”
Applies to any type of media and most polls.
The same people who say you can’t get through Iowa without supporting ethanol are the same that say you can’t have congress using the power of the purse, or any other anti-establishment idea.
Nice to think so, but throw social security and medicare into the equation and watch what happens.
Well, not so much the ‘anti-etahnol’ candidate... That one only lasted for a while. The ‘maybe phase out in five years’ and the ‘Oh, Carson has dropped out and says vote for me’ candidate won.
The winner of the Iowa R primary got 51,000 votes.
The winner of the Iowa 2012 POTUS election got 822,000 votes.
So your conclusion might be based on a non-representative sample. But I’m really not sure.
Eight years ago, Huckabee won. Last night he didn’t get enough votes to continue his campaign. Just remember what an Iowa win means in the bigger context.
I’m not sure you can compare caucus votes to general election votes. Apples and Oranges.
Yes this article is bullchit. In the general an ant-ethnaol candidate has no shot..but Iowa is lost anyway look at all the Bernie freaks
Maybe another way to look at it was there were about 120,000 pro ethanol R primary votes and 50,000 anti.
Principles - used to be important to those on the right. Not so much anymore but I am impressed.
Cruz isn’t anti-ethanol. He’s just anti-government subsidies for ethanol.
Right on the money.
If Cruz makes it to the general, he will loose IA based on his attack on Ethanol.
And so when a propaganda publication suggests that this was a political ‘miracle’ of sorts took place because a guy who says he opposes subsidizing ethanol because it is a farmer's welfare program, well, it isn't the farmers who are being subsidized for being forced to buy chemically laced seed and all the chemicals they must use in it growing process from planting to harvest, it is the ones manufacturing the seed, manufacturing the chemicals the seed requires for its growth and the production after the corn is harvested that are subsidized.
Really? Has America strayed so far from her ‘husbandry’ roots that the everyday lay person can not see the forest because the trees are blocking their view of it?
Hi, glad u r back! Interesting to read all the reasons why Cruz really didnt win last night. Or why 2nd place is really good...etc..
Anyway, may God’s will be done.
30 years ago there was an oil SHORTAGE, now there is an oil SURPLUS.
Well as USA Today said (so it MUST be true)
Republicans talked about “drill baby drill” but it was Obama that make it happen.
Trump keeps losing.
You keep hurting.
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