Posted on 12/11/2015 11:57:00 PM PST by Cincinatus' Wife
Donald Trump attacked Ted Cruz for not supporting ethanol subsidies. He said in Iowa on Friday, "Oil companies give him a lot of money, so he's for oil."
The thing about oil and gas is, it doesn't require big subsidies, because it's the cheapest and most efficient form of fuel for cars. Ethanol, on the other hand, does require big government subsidies, because it is highly uneconomical. Ethanol is much more expensive than oil and gas and, gallon for gallon, produces much less energy than gasoline. That's why the government has to hand over billions in subsidies to big agri-businesses to keep it going. And that's also why the government has to force oil companies to blend ethanol in with their fuels. Because without government coercion, oil companies wouldn't do it, and the price of gasoline would be substantially lower than it is now.
Additionally, ethanol actually acts as a corrosive on car engines. It slowly degrades car parts over time.
But the worst thing about ethanol is that not only does it require taxpayer subsidies, and not only does it raise the price of blended gas, but it also raises the price of many different kinds of foods. Ethanol is made with corn - a lot of it. And when a lot of corn production is diverted to ethanol, there is less corn available to use for food. Corn is heavily used as a sweetener in many food products. By raising the price of corn, the price of many different kinds of foods are raised.
That is what subsidizing ethanol gives us. That is what Donald Trump is for and Ted Cruz is against. Ted Cruz is starting to lead in some Iowa polls, and he's doing it without this kind of pandering...
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
You will eventually have to defend BOTH Cruz and Trump because the GOP establishments wants both of them removed.
The GOPe want someone they can control and keep the current show going, under the UNI-PARTY control.
"There are four stylistic differences between Liberals and Conservatives. Liberals all hold the same opinions. They view disagreements as affronts rather than as opportunities for debate. Liberals are casually wiling to depart from traditions and accepted practices with little or no concern. Finally, the changes they propose more often than not hurt the very people they were supposed to help. Conservatives exhibit independent thought and enthusiastically defend their views in debate. We are willing to change but only if the change is thoroughly grounded and well thought out. Conservatives are well aware of adverse unintended consequences.
Conservatives often wonder what if anything liberals are thinking. This election cycle, I'm surprised at conservatives asking that same question of one-time conservatives who now support Trump. They all repeat the same points and quote his book as if it were scripture. Any criticism of Trump is met with invective. They are willing to support Trump in policies previously thought to be unworkable, and continue that support even when these policies are detrimental to their interests. What's the explanation for this? Liberals justify their behavior by saying they have greater intellect - "That's why we're called intellectuals." Trump says disagreements don't apply, "When you're really really smart like I am..."
I think it only appears that trump is the target, simply because you think he is.
Every pro Cruz thread draws dozens of pro Trump protesters. all accusing cruz supporters for bashing Trump. The reverse may be true but to a much lessor degree with the Trump threads, as many like myself try to stay off them.
I would be busy all day with just the pro-cruz and anti-cruz threads.
One might ask, just who is making a positive contribution and to whom. One might also ask, is it wrong to support someone else besides Trump.
Every news article and opinion article posted here is a positive contribution, no matter who the candidate is.
Saying anything different is only a veiled attempt to silence the opposition to whatever candidate one might support.
It is a primary, and it will be pretty much over sometime next summer. Frankly, I will be glad when the process is over, but it’s a necessary process.
A lot of words there. Ugh
False. Trump said nothing about ethanol subsidies.
Cruz will stick to his guns on this one.
It’s going to be interesting how Iowa pans out. Cruz has the evangelicals locked up, but King Corn is powerful and could put the hurt on him.
also big news - a poll is coming out tomorrow that will have Cruz ahead in Iowa. As i’ve said many times today - may the best man win!
No, they won't end unless a president takes the lead and fights to end them. BTW, these plants cannot maintain themselves or be built without government aid and constant support.
There are times for realpolitik. Trump understands it.
I knew she was all in for Walker, but had no idea Perry was also one of her favs.
Hey CW do Cruz a favor and back Rubio please and thank you. I think you’re cursed! LOL.
There are people trying to create a ‘cage match’ between Trump and Cruz supporters maybe the Republican Establishment.
The facts are that Trump attacked Cruz over his opposition to ethanol subsidies and linked Cruz to oil.
I agree with Cruz and disagree with Trump.
The latest Iowa poll. CNN/ORC
Trump 33
Cruz 20
Carson 16
Rubio 11
Bush 4
Trump +13
Well Cruz criticized Trump the day before, that is where this all started.
Both of them need to chill out.
Outside of Cruz, which Republican Contender is against Ethanol Subsidies?
I’m not for them, but the Congress has never been able to roll them back. I’m a Cruz guy but I doubt he would ever be able to eliminate them.
I don’t agree with Trump on this and other things, but he isn’t the only one at the Party. Like Cruz, he couldn’t eliminate them if he wanted to.
You can only hope that he or Cruz can come up with a Free Market solution that will keep both sides happy. I’m not holding my breathe since the Republicans are the ones who have always supported it. Grassley is the King of Ethanol.
Awhile ago Cruz was asked about ethanol at a town-hall meeting in Iowa. He said something like “Well - I’m from Texas. We have lots of farms and crops down in Texas too. Corn ethanol is another resource farmers in Iowa and Texas can grow and make money from. So I’m for ethanol. But, and here’s where I might get your wrath - I’m not for the government subsidies that make ethanol worth it. I know the easy thing would be to come to Iowa and say I’m for subsidies. But, I think you want someone who will do what they say, and not just say what you want to hear. And I say let the market decide what the farmer grows. Big government doesn’t need to be in the family farm. Heck - that’s what I’m campaigning against - our government is big enough and intrudes enough already!†He got a good round of applause.
I hear the “jobs” argument in a lot of places like Alabama where the RINO governor Bentley came out and said he was not going to speak out against ‘gay marriage’ because of his concern for “jobs” for the people of Alabama.
He said do you notice that no one ever tries to get Graham to attack Kasich or Jeb to attack Kasich. It is always Trump and Cruz that they are trying to pit against each other.
Notice headline: “Trump ATTACKS Ted Cruz.”
Actually, you would have to prove that to me..
I live in a AG state, Farmers here plant what makes money for them and they make these decisions based on demand and price. The farm would still operate regardless of ethanol.
Ethanol, is a government created demand. It's a blatant case of interference in markets.
Like all government interventions in the market, even including taxes, these created markets never go away, no matter how temporary they are. It's federal government graft and corruption that never ends....
If a State and it's citizens want to engage in this, it is their constitutional right to do so and to send their constituents the bill.
But it's not the purview of the federal government to do it.
Monmouth poll just released:
http://www.monmouth.edu/assets/0/32212254770/32212254991/32212254992/32212254994/32212254995/30064771087/de240398-df23-47b6-8470-91977d38b749.pdf
Cruz 24
Trump 19
Rubio 17
Carson 13
Bush 6
To be fair, Trump was being killed by Carson in the last Monmouth poll, and is actually up 1 pt in this one.
Regardless the new story is Cruz is the leader in Iowa... Now all the guns, MSM, other candidates, will be trained on Cruz.
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