Posted on 09/01/2015 3:52:45 PM PDT by conservativejoy
Governor calls for two-year 'winding down' of the Renewable Fuel Standard.
"Now that Iowans have shrugged, let me tell you what I really think." Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker took heat back in March for apparently flip-flopping on his position on federal ethanol mandates in fuel. He once was a vocal opponent of mandates of all types from the state and federal government as an example of "central planning."
But then, earlier this year, with eyes focused on Iowa and a possible presidential run, he appeared to reverse course. Matt Welch took note of the reversal, where Walker said he wanted to deal with "market access issues" before eliminating the mandates and subsidies. Timothy Carney at the Washington Examiner criticized Walker's collapse on ethanol, noting that Walker appeared to want to keep the mandate until ethanol fuel was competitive with oil. "Given ethanol's inherent shortcomings, that day may never come," Carney pointed out.
Now, months later, Walker has come back and explained that actually he wants to wind down the ethanol mandate over two years. He said so directly to Carney in a phone interview:
If Walker really would push for a two-year sunset of the [Renewable Fuel Standard], paired with legislation removing market access issues for ethanol, that puts him in a similar place to Rand Paul. Paul has proposed a bill (co-sponsored by Iowa's Chuck Grassley, an ethanol champion) to remove EPA limits on how much ethanol refiners can blend with gasoline, and Paul has also said he opposes the ethanol mandate.
If Jeb Bush can clarify his position, you could get a GOP field in Iowa where all the top-tier candidates oppose the ethanol mandate.
What's interesting is that Walker had months to correct the perception that he had flip-flopped on ethanol mandates and mention this proposal, but he's just doing so now. What has happened? Well, once Walker was the undisputed front-runner in polls for the Iowa Caucus. His poll numbers improved even further when he explained his reversal on ethanol in March. But the latest numbers have him dropping below both Donald Trump and Ben Carson following the first debate. Pandering to Iowan interests might not even get him a win there, let alone any other state.
Peter Suderman extensively analyzed Walker's history in our July issue of Reason, including his shift of position on ethanol.
Ethanol bad, Butanol good.
Walker may be my biggest disappointment in this primary.
I came into this with him as my second choice behind Cruz, because of his stand against the Unions in WI.
He seems to be pulled along with the current, rather than fighting to move upstream.
Walker should stay in WI, maybe run for Senate one day, but right now he’s not ready for the big chair.
Darn shame too.
This is what happens when a campaign is out of gas of any kind.
Gotta get them votes in dem corn producin’ playsis..
Yee haw..!
Let’s spend $2 bucks to save $1 on gas “buy” buying corn from folks that vote for ethanol.
Yee haw..!
I think this is a case of his GOP legislature carrying his water for a long time. They would be crafting and passing legislation while he was out campaigning, then he came home, scheduled a signing ceremony and took the credit.
When there are not deeply held convictions on issues, just superficial finger in the wind positions, sooner or later that lack of core gets exposed.
Burning food in a world where people are hungry never made a lot of sense to me.
They have bben trying to up the percentage of ethanol from 10 to 15%.
I guess Walker and Paul are coming together in their opinions on ethanol, at least the article is comparing their stance.
Would someone please send this little boy back to the kids table? What an astounding disappointment. I confess I only really started paying attention to him when he declared, but he is an unmitigated disaster.
Wind Checking issues isn’t going to work this time. Conservative Americans are fed up with GOPe clowns like Walker playing shape shifting games.
I’ve been paying attention for a while and I couldn’t agree more. I’m glad that it has become more evident since he declared because we sure cannot afford that kind of mistake.
Too True! It really does make the candidate with the unwavering stance stand out doesn’t it?
There is no flip flop.
This is stupid and so are those who repeat it.
Absolutely
The CoC will cut him off soon.
Cruz was the only one at that Iowa confab who declined to support the Renewable Fuel Standards.
Call it what you will, this is the third position he has had on ethanol.
There are oil fields in La. capped long ago as they were no longer producing..
Years later they were discovered producing again.
Oil is a blessing from the Almighty..
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.