Posted on 02/04/2016 6:00:21 PM PST by justlittleoleme
If Texas Sen. Ted Cruz does nothing else in the 2016 Republican primary, he's at least done this - he has laid low the ethanol lobby. The once-sacrosanct Renewable Fuel Standards, which mandate the use of dirty, inefficient ethanol in our gasoline, are no longer invulnerable.
"The ethanol lobby is a paper tiger, and Ted Cruz just tore it to shreds," wrote Tim Carney for the Washington Examiner. "Cruz, the country's most famous enemy of the federal ethanol mandate, just won Iowa, winning more votes than any person in the history of the caucuses. Cruz thus busted the myth that you can't mess with the ethanol lobby and still win Iowa."
It's a shame so many other presidential candidates refused to stand up to the ethanol lobby. The RFS, signed into law by President George W. Bush, are inarguably harmful to everyone - except Iowa corn farmers.
"The 'corn boom' RFS created has impacted over 5 million acres of land once set aside for conservation," pointed out The Federalist. "Landowners have filled in wetlands and have sprayed billions of pounds of fertilizer to facilitate the demand for corn to fulfill gas ethanol requirements. As a result, rivers have been contaminated and the habitat of waterfowl and other wildlife has been damaged."
Perhaps even more importantly, "RFS has not reduced carbon emissions - one of the primary objectives of the policy. Scientists at the University of Wisconsin found that the corn boom has released as much carbon dioxide as 34 coal power plants in one year. It turns out ethanol is not carbon-neutral, as promised, and it actually worsens gas mileage, making cars less fuel-efficient and worse for the environment."
The Congressional Budget Office warns that the RFS could cause fuel prices to increase from 13 to 26 cents per gallon by 2017.
"It's not just prices at the gas pump and costs at the repair shop increasing because of RFS - it's prices at the grocery store, too," The Federalist notes. "Anything corn goes into is more expensive because of the RFS. Purdue University researchers found that repealing the RFS would cause food prices to fall 13 percent overall. In 2012, the average U.S. family of four faced a $2,000 increase in food costs due to the higher corn prices RFS has caused."
So Cruz's victory was important. It also wasn't supposed to happen. The ethanol lobby went after him hard.
"Gov. Terry Branstad went on a jihad against Cruz, attacking him as 'the biggest opponent of renewable fuels,'" Carney reported. "Branstad took to Fox News the morning before the caucuses to pound Cruz. America's Renewable Future, the ethanol lobby headed by Gov. Branstad's son Eric, spent $300,000 this election, according to campaign finance filings, basically all of it against Ted Cruz. They spent on mailers, on robo calls, on radio ads and on print ads."
Yet Cruz won more votes than anyone in Iowa caucus history.
And as Carney added, "Cruz's win also sends a message to other corporate welfare lobbies: You're next."
I’m still waiting for you to tell me when Cruz will introduce and pass a bill
in the senate.
He's got the ability to communicate small governmemt principles in a way that people are able to understand and appreciate.
This is EXACTLY what is needed to get our country back on track.
Sugar, you’re next.
The Senate needs a repeal of Amendment 17. For the children!
Actually with ethanol in your gas tank the cops could write you a ticket for having alcohol in an open container.
Ah, that was sweet of you. :-)
He introduced a bill in the Senate on this on 2014. McTuttle is in charge of doing nothing but passing the Democrat agenda.
What if you have a locking gas cap?
Why is corn a renewable fuel, and oil is not ?
The number one issue I focused on in Iowa was ethanol. I was anxious to see who would pander and who would hold a conservative position.
It was a matter of conviction to me, who has them and who does not.
Ethanol can’t compete. That’s why we are forced to buy that crap.
So how can Cruz clam victory when he cannot introduce and pass
a bill in the senate?
Maybe since he won Iowa his fellow senators will re-consider.
When is he going to re-introduce and pass the bill?
With corn soon to not be going into autos and toward food, my cows will be fed more cheaply so steak lovers should see ribeye prices going down.
Remember what a beef stake tastes like? Get rid of ethanol made from corn and the price of meat will go down.
Man that would be nice the price of ground beef has gone through the roof.
Yes. One man with integrity can change things.
The governor is so in bed with the ethanol people he is spitting mad.
As President, he can meet with leaders of the House and Senate and put forth his agenda. Even if it passed now, Obama would veto it.
As President he may be able to influence who holds those Leadership positions in Congress.
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