Food Inflation, Riots Spark Worries for World Leaders

Wall Street Journal, page A1 ^ | 4/14/08 | BOB DAVIS and DOUGLAS BELKIN

[Winged Hussar]

Many policy makers at the weekend meetings of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank agreed that the problem is severe. Among other targets, they singled out U.S. policies pushing corn-based ethanol and other biofuels as deepening the woes.

"When millions of people are going hungry, it's a crime against humanity that food should be diverted to biofuels," said India's finance minister, Palaniappan Chidambaram, in an interview. Turkey's finance minister, Mehmet Simsek, said the use of food for biofuels is "appalling."

[Winged Hussar]

India's finance minister calls U.S. fuel-ethanol mandates (as pushed by Thomas Daschle, D-SD to drive up corn prices) a crime against humanity.

Our local food store also cites the conversion of corn to ethnanol (all done in the nominal interests of "green" ecology, although the green flowing into the pockets of the ethanol producers is more to the point) is responsible for higher food prices.

There is nothing the working American doesn't savvy about "higher food prices" thanks to Federal ethanol fuel mandates. We need to make this clear between now and the election.

[goldstategop]

Somebody needs to arrest Algore and his cronies for genocide and crimes against humanity.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[AnotherUnixGeek]

he praised sugar-based ethanol of the sort made in Brazil and questioned whether tariffs to block the fuel -- such as the U.S. uses -- make "economic sense."

Why are we imposing tariffs on ethanol that's not made from grain products? This only encourages the use of corn for ethanol, which is something we should be actively discouraging.

[goldstategop]

The Left is more concerned about whether the weather will heat up a few degrees than with the prospect of millions of real people dying of hunger and still others suffering a compromised quality of life due to malnutrition. That says it all.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[unkus]

“The Left is more concerned about whether the weather will heat up a few degrees than with the prospect of millions of real people dying of hunger and still others suffering a compromised quality of life due to malnutrition. That says it all.”

Thank you.

[steadfastconservative]

This biofuels debacle is an excellent illustration of the law of unintended consequences. Whenever the government interferes in the economy, bad things happen, which the Left never foresees. But, hey, what’s a few million starving people if we can halt the progression of global warming!

[Integrityrocks]

It is appalling. I agree completely. We have TONS of oil under the ground doing absolutely no good at all unless it is drilled for, but lets starve people and turn perfectly good food into what oil can do better and CHEAPER.

[L,TOWM]

Your premise is flawed — the true eco believers are EXTREMELY concerned with people dying in large numbers. The more people dying, the better it is in their twisted, humanity hating universe.

Don’t confuse excuses and methodology with the real eco prize — a world without 80-90% of the current population.

[PGR88]

HA HA HA HA HA HA - Interventionist/Lib Gov’t policies to the rescue again!!!

[tgusa]

Simple reason - the millions on ther brink of starvation don’t have votes that can be bought.

[BGHater]

The occurrence of the term “food riot” over at Google’s news search engine has an update:

278 22 mar 08

289 23 mar

330 24 Mar

380 26 Mar

970 02 Apr

1330 05 Apr

1698 07 April 08

1,781 08 Apr

2,168 09 April

2,331 10 April

1,908 11 April

3,125 12 April

3,318 13 April

[ThisLittleLightofMine]

When millions of people are going hungry, it's a crime against humanity that food should be diverted to biofuels
_______________________________________________________

I agree. Bring anyone responsible for these mandates up on charges.

[janeliberty]

The Earth First loonies will also be happy that millions of humans are dying for lack of food.

[expatpat]

The libs have done it once again. They never think about the potential adverse consequences of their policies and actions.

[unkus]

Their goddess is Ghia.

[blam]

Here...Bush fixed it!!

Bush Orders $200 Million in Food Aid

[dynachrome]

“Their goddess is Ghia”

Karmen Ghia?

;)

[Caipirabob]

Nothing to see here folks, move along!

[Jimmy Valentine]

Has anyone shown up with a “Soylent Green” reference yet?

[indcons]

BTTT