They’re riled up in Iowa

by Mouser The King Cat

December 5, 2015 will be one of the most exciting days in Iowa’s history. The state’s beloved Hawkeyes play Michigan State for the championship of the Big Ten Conference and a shot at the national title. (Due to continuing upheaval in college football, I needed to look up how many teams are in the Big Ten. As of this week it’s 14. Obviously math is not a strong suit.)

Iowa isn’t famous for football, nor much else aside from favorite sons and daughters like William Shatner and Donna Reed. Think of Iowa and you think of cornfields. Thus, politicians who covet Hawkeye votes think they must support ethanol.

But GOP candidate Ben Carson isn’t falling into line. In a recent debate, he said:

“I have studied that issue in great detail and what I’ve concluded, the best policy is to get rid of all government subsidies and get the government out of our lives and let people rise and fall based on how good they are.”

OMG. To Iowans, Dr. Carson might as well have said he prays nightly to Satan or supports changing the state name to Baja Minnesota.

The ethanol lobby quickly fired back, saying it receives no government subsidies. To which Marita Noon pointed out at The American Spectator:

“Instead of subsidies, ethanol producers get something better: a mandate that orders refiners to blend ethanol into motor fuels, which forces consumers to buy the product. A federally guaranteed market beats a subsidy every time.”

Anybody who works on cars can tell you ethanol sucks. Current engines might tolerate the 90/10 mix of gasoline and ethanol, but the ethanol lobby is pushing for 85/15. Sorry, Iowa, this whole crappy industry is a boondoggle. Now I’ll go all in and root for Michigan State tomorrow.