The platform adopted by the Republican National Convention calls for repeal of the law that requires U.S. gasoline to contain a certain amount of ethanol. It reads, “The U.S. government should end mandates for ethanol and let the free market work.”
Alternate delegate Monte Shaw, the executive director of the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association, told Ed Tibbetts of southeast of Iowa's Quad-City Times that the plank is no big deal because previous platforms have said likewise. But Jason Hancock of the Iowa Independent wrote, "The move is a major change from the 2004 platform, which supported expanding the use of ethanol as a way to reduce dependence on foreign oil and increase revenue for farmers."
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey objected to the plank, and told Tibbetts today that the measure and John McCain’s other stands on agriculture issues could cost him votes in farm country: "I think it’s possible. We’ve got another couple months to play out. It does depend on what he says [from] here on out." Northey added that trade and regulation could also play a role. "He says McCain is better than Obama on those issues," Tibbetts reports. McCain opposed the latest Farm Bill, while Obama supported it.
"If nothing else, the platform highlight’s John McCain’s opposition to ethanol subsidies. That’s something Barack Obama’s campaign is eager to point out in Iowa," Tibbetts writes. "Of course, the McCain folks turn that around and point out that the Arizona senator opposed the 2005 energy bill, which was roundly criticized in some quarters for also being generous to Big Oil." (Read more)
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