Tortilla Facts

Wall Street Journal, 1/29/07, page A16 (SUBSCRIPTION REQUIRED TO ACCESS LINK) ^ | 1/29/07 | MARY ANASTASIA O'GRADY

[Winged Hussar]

It's not the higher cost of corn per se that has Mr. Calderón denouncing "speculators" and "hoarders." Rather, it's what rising corn prices are doing to push up the cost of tortillas -- the most fundamental of Mexican staples.

...The sharp increase in Mexican corn prices, which fueled the tortilla price spike, followed big price increases for corn on international markets over the past year. The main cause, according to most commodity analysts, was the U.S. decision to subsidize ethanol made from corn. Growers who previously marketed their harvests to food and livestock companies suddenly have new demand from ethanol producers, who are also armed with a subsidy to make their bids more attractive. The increase in demand from government-subsidized ethanol producers pushed up prices.

[Winged Hussar]

Starving Mexicans can thank left-wing Kyotoist Democrats like Albert Gore and their Republican In Name Only (RhINO) allies for politically-correct incentives to burn corn (as ethanol, a rather inefficient fuel) that would normally have been eaten by the poorest elements of Mexican society. Someone ought to ask Gore & Co. what driving up food prices (a regressive tax on the poor) has to do with the Democratic Party's own stated values.

http://www.stentorian.com/kyoto/ for more on how the Kyoto Treaty and greenhouse gas regulations are a SCAM and a FRAUD that are actually designed to enrich corporations (see the Climate Action Partnership) at the expense of working Americans. We must use "at the expense of working Americans" in conjunction with "leftist so-called Democrats like Al Gore" to demolish the MoveOn.org wing of the Democratic Party, thus making sure Hillary Clinton never hears "God Save the Queen," excuse me, "Hail to the Chief," played for her.

Greenhouse Gas Regulations as Aztec Human Sacrifices to Control the Weather and Ensure Good Harvests Add "poor Mexicans" to the description of the sacrificial victim.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

ping.

[mtbopfuyn]

Throw a handful of corn kernels out behind the outhouse and they'll soon have more than enough corn to grind for some nice fresh homemade tortillas for FREE.

[Brilliant]

Well, the Mexicans have a lot of oil. The price of corn would not be going up but for the fact that the price of oil is going up.

[NVDave]

Bingo.

And recent reports out of Mexico show that their state-controlled oil production is starting to fall off.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

With their abundant natural resources and favorable climate, Mexico can't grow corn on its own?

[Clemenza]

I would suggest using biodiesel (made from soy beans) as an alternative, but then the Chinese would get upset.

Expect to see more flour tortillas from the street vendors in Mexican small towns.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

Supposedly because of NAFTA, it had become cheaper to buy American corn made on huge farms with modern technology rather than buy Mexican corn produced on small, family farms. So Mexican farms went out of business (and many of the farmers/farmhands illegally went to the United States) and now there is a shortage of corn in Mexico--ostensibly because of the increase in American ethanol production.

[KevinDavis]

I prefer flour tortillas anyway....

[linn37]

Tortilla fact,corn is better!

[linn37]

Tortilla fact,corn is better!

[UnklGene]

[television is just wrong]

brits, look at corn as cattle feed and won't touch it.

[Jedi Master Pikachu]

But they'll eat marmite?

[television is just wrong]

I know, Someone gave me a jar of the stuff. ICK. full of Vitamins and minerals though.

[chalkfarmer]

I prefer pupusas.....from El Salvador.

[Ben Ficklin]

NAFTA, Corn. and Mexico's Agricultural Trade Liberalization

[Las Vegas Ron]

Tortilla fact,corn is better!

Hand made authentic tortillas are the best. Not those crappy thin ones that are in the stores.

If you are interested, email me and I'll tell you where you can purchase them. If you really like tortillas, you will flip over these.

[Winged Hussar]

You just drove up my cholesterol 50 or so units. :^)

On the other hand, put soy cheese on those tortillas (made with oils with no trans-fat) and I'll eat the whole thing. Remember, Native Americans (including Aztecs) practically invented this grain. Now it's a shame that their descendents can't afford to buy it thanks to the Gorons (same as morons, led by Albert Gore) and other Kyotoists.

Re: "KevinDavis: brits, look at corn as cattle feed and won't touch it."

In Britain, "corn" is actually wheat, and "maize" is what we call corn. There is a line in "A Christmas Carol" in which merchants are discussing the price of corn, and an uninformed American reader will wonder what that yellow grain is doing in Britain. It's actually wheat.

[bmwcyle]

That's gas alright.