Putting the Sense in Sensenbrenner

Behold - the man from corn country co-sponsors the renewable fuel standard-, ethanol tax credit- and ethanol import tariff-repealing Flake Bill:

“I have always been opposed to reformulated gasoline (RFG) because it doesn’t reduce the pollution it was supposed to, and in fact, increases other kinds of pollution,” said Sensenbrenner.

“Fuel mixed with ethanol is less efficient, and results in fewer miles per gallon for consumers,” Sensenbrenner continued. “Moreover, it’s extremely expensive, even in the Midwest, where although corn is abundant, the cost of converting it to ethanol, and the difficulties associated with transporting it, has made it more expensive than traditional gasoline. As a result, we are seeing dramatic price increases in corn, which is hitting families hard considering the prevalence of corn in food production and in animal feed.”

“The fact is, the ethanol industry has been subsidized for twenty-seven years and claims to still need the subsidies to survive,” Sensenbrenner added. “If an industry cannot survive without government support after twenty-seven years, there are more serious problems in place.”

I'm guessing that the loss of subsidies in the face of increased ag-production costs (driven up by skyrocketing gas prices) isn't gonna set well on the back forty. Or on the grocery store shelves.

Via Protein Wisdom.

From the PW post's comments:

Burning food has to be the most immoral practice that our government has ever subsidized (and that’s saying quite a bit).

Update: Ack. Owen posted this yesterday, giving props to Dad29.