Ethanol subsidies put to test again in Senate

AP via SFGate ^ | 6/16/11 | STEPHEN OHLEMACHER, Associated Press

[SmithL]

Subsidies for ethanol are being put to the test again in the Senate Thursday, as budget cutters try to demonstrate a growing appetite in Congress to end special interest tax breaks to help reduce government borrowing.

The Senate is scheduled to vote on two measures that would end subsidies for producing ethanol, a renewable, liquid fuel additive that comes mainly from corn in the U.S.

One measure would repeal a $5 billion annual tax credit that provides 45 cents a gallon to oil refiners who mix ethanol with gasoline. The Senate rejected an identical measure Tuesday, 40-59, though some senators voted against it on procedural grounds, which have since been addressed.

The other measure would eliminate federal funding for building ethanol blender pumps or storage facilities. Both measures would need 60 votes to advance.

[SmithL]

Putting food into gas tanks is just plain stupid!

Using government funds to encourage it should be an impeachable offense, no matter which party the politician belongs to.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

Any Republican who votes to maintain ethanol subsidies is part of the problem.

[Reo]

"Any Republican who votes to maintain ethanol subsidies is part of the problem."

So does anyone have a list of those who did?

[from occupied ga]

Any Republican who votes to maintain ethanol subsidies is part of the problem

This perverse law was voted in by a republican majority congress and signed into law by a republican president.

[WOBBLY BOB]

12 RINO Ethanol pimps on the list:

http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=112&session=1&vote=00089

[Libertynotfree]

Why did we close the coal mine? It is inexpensive and ready proven technology to substitute our fuels. No, they want GREEN. So they destroy coal mine industry.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

So long as the mandates remain in place, someone is going to be paying for the extra costs of ethanol blends. The taxpayer pays the subsidies, without the subsidies the consumer pays. Either way, it's a dead-weight loss to the economy.

[NonValueAdded]

Stop burning food!

[sand88]

So long as the mandates remain in place, someone is going to be paying for the extra costs of ethanol blends. The taxpayer pays the subsidies, without the subsidies the consumer pays. Either way, it's a dead-weight loss to the economy.

The best solution would be to end the mandate, cut off ALL subsidies, and fire any government employee that has a position supporting subsidies.

People are ill-informed to think that they need to be "phased out." That is a recipe for disaster. To phase them out will allow the next Congress to restore them.

Free societies are inherently dynamic. Yes people who depend on subsidies and such will suffer. Big deal. Every day vast numbers of people suffer hardships. They just aren't highlighted. For these farmers and blenders to suffer should not worry us. The will quickly learn to live without the taxpayer dollars.

At all levels of government power hungry, sadistic humans are creating rules, fining citizens, raising taxes and making purposely making our lives miserable. The parasitic political class will not stop until they completely rule us or they are removed.