The American Spectator : The Spectacle Blog : Thune, Other Midwestern Republicans Urge Extension of Ethanol Subsidies

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The Spectacle Blog

Thune, Other Midwestern Republicans Urge Extension of Ethanol Subsidies

By Philip Klein on 12.2.10 @ 11:32AM

Sen. John Thune is often touted as a possible wildcard Republican presidential candidate for 2012, but should he run, the South Dakota lawmaker will have to fight back charges that he's part of the establshment. Thune voted for TARP and has requested and defended earmarks (though he did back the moratorium last month). Thune didn't make his task easier this week by signing on to a letter to Senate Majority Harry Reid calling for an extension of ethanol tax subsidies. The letter was signed by 15 midwestern Senators, including five other Republicans (Chuck Grassley, Kit Bond, Sam Brownback, Mike Johanns and Mark Kirk).

Via Red State.

View all comments (10) | Leave a comment

Bob Miller| 12.2.10 @ 11:56AM

The ethanol scam depletes valuable food resources while saving drivers nothing, not money and not energy

Collis| 12.2.10 @ 1:57PM

The ethanol subsidy bad because it distorts the efficient operation of the free market, not because it depletes the supply of high fructose corn syrup.

Eric Cartman| 12.2.10 @ 11:56AM

The Stupid Party earning its wings. Let's give them a little push out the window - see how they fly.

Too Many Tims| 12.2.10 @ 3:34PM

Let's review the Federal position:

Alcohol mixed with gasoline = GOOD

Alcohol mixed with caffeine = BAD

What kind of mileage would a Four Loko Hybrid get?

LK| 12.2.10 @ 12:01PM

Phillip, thanks! Now I can cross him off the short list of Republicans in DC who we can look to, to carry the conservative banner, in our battle to restore Constitutional government.

Sheila| 12.2.10 @ 12:10PM

LK, Thune is also an open-borders hispanderer; he should not be on any conservative's "list."

Al Adab| 12.2.10 @ 1:20PM

Of course Senators from corn growing areas want ethanol subsidized. It's not profitable otherwise. This again is what has been wrong for so long. The bring home the bacon attitude is what got us to this impass. END IT. This is also why the late election was NOT a vote of confidence in the GOP. This is what we sadly expected from the business as usual Republicans. Get the message guys. End the spending.

Occam's Tool| 12.2.10 @ 1:40PM

Allow me to mildly support the ethanol subsidies, from a Conservative perspective. It's a defense bill, as I see it, folks. You take money away from Islamic terrorist states and you put the money into American farmer pockets. In addition, you raise the price of food in the third world, so more terror supporters go hungry. At least that's how I conceptualize it.

Essentially, I want our enemies starved, poor, and pounding sand. This may be a way to help do it. Of course, I may be full of it. But can someone civilly run with that argument on the con side? I'm open to argument, as this is only an useful policy IF it achieves those aims.

carol| 12.2.10 @ 2:55PM

show me where subsidies are cited in the consitiution
the federal government has to clean it up
thune is not on my list

218phil| 12.2.10 @ 5:54PM

Buy a gallon of oil from the middle east, then use it to make less than a gallon of gas, give a giant agri-business a large tax credit, per net BTU dirtier than coal, crony capitalism aint it great!