Hulshof defends ethanol mandate; contends Steelman is aligned with Chavez
U.S. Rep. Kenny Hulshof, one of two Republicans running for governor, sent out an e-release this morning challenging rival “Sarah Steelman’s newfound commitment to repeal the state’s renewable fuel directive…”
Hulshof’s campaign contended that Steelman’s call to eliminate Missouri’s ethanol mandate could hike gas prices at a time when Missouri’s are the cheapest in the nation. (Many experts tie Missouri’s low price, in part, to our lower gas taxes.)
Said Hulshof’s campaign in a release: “An array of independent analyses debunk the proposals contained in The Steelman Plan, which could result in higher gas prices, job losses, and an enhanced dependence on foreign oil.
“To wit: - A recent analysis from Merrill Lynch concluded that oil prices would be about 15% higher, if it weren’t for biofuels like ethanol and biodiesel. (Multiple press accounts)
“- A U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Energy analysis found that without ethanol, gas would be higher by 35 cents per gallon. (USDA & DoE letter to Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman, June 11, 2008)
“- An Iowa State University study found that ethanol has lowered gas prices by 30 to 40 cents per gallon. (Omaha World-Herald, editorial, May 11, 2008)
“- A Missouri-based A.G. Edwards analyst asserted: “Ethanol blending could help ease U.S. refining bottlenecks and that could be ultimately reflected in lower prices at the pump.” (Reuters, February 14, 2008)
“- The International Energy Agency (IEA) states that biofuels make up about 50 percent of the extra fuel coming to the market from sources outside the OPEC oil cartel. William Ramsey, deputy executive director of the IEA, said: “If we didn’t have those barrels, I am not sure where we would be getting those half a million barrels.” (The Financial Times, April 26, 2008)
“- Excerpt from a recent letter to the editor penned by American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman: “The production of 6.5 billion gallons of ethanol in 2007 displaced the need for 228 million barrels of oil. That is equivalent to nearly half of the oil imported from Venezuela in 2007.” (American Farm Bureau Federation president Bob Stallman, letter to the editor of The New York Times, May 18, 2008)
“- Last week, Venezuela dictator Hugo Chavez, who seeks to create a South American version of OPEC, condemned the United States for its “crazy” initiatives to produce ethanol. (AP, July 1, 2008)
“Until last week, Steelman appeared to recognize the benefits of biofuels and the positive impact they have had on the state’s agriculture economy and the ongoing effort to wean our dependence on foreign oil. Now, in a dramatic about face, she’s proposing the elimination of Missouri’s ethanol mandate.
“ ‘The promotion of biofuels, including Missouri’s ethanol mandate, is clearly working,’ said Scott Baker, communications director for Hulshof for Governor. ‘If not for ethanol, Missourians would be facing significantly higher prices at the pump, and we would have to import millions of additional barrels of oil from dictators like Hugo Chavez. Steelman’s plan is dangerous for America and extremely harmful to Missouri.”
Hulshof defends ethanol mandate; contends Steelman is aligned with Chavez
“- Last week, Venezuela dictator Hugo Chavez, who seeks to create a South American version of OPEC, condemned the United States for its “crazy” initiatives to produce ethanol. (AP, July 1, 2008)
Now, I don’t recall anyone ever accusing Hugo Chavez of being STUPID.
It is pretty stupid/crazy this entire ethanol ideal.
Says alot about Hulsof’s common sense being that he can’t see that ethanol is nothing to be defending, if you ask me. It was a very BAD ideal, but Hulsof is still defending it?
Reminds one of those who are still defending Bush.
First, Sarah looks amazing for her age. I bet u wish ur wife looked like her. Second, this is typical Hulsof trying to carry out the policies of the Bush and Blunt adminisration. Kenny is an absolute tool of the Republican Party bosses. He will do anything to fall in line. Its funny how Kenny touts his courtroom experience as qualifications to be GOV. What does 13 years of courtroom experience have to do with being GOV. Oh, I forgot know Kenny is an economist.
Missouri ethanol is produced by farmer-owned ethanol plants from a local input. These plants create economic activity in the rural Missouri towns that have welcomed them. Missourians benefit from fuel production that doesn’t have to be shipped half way around the world to reach our gas tanks. All of these attributes are in contrast to gasoline from crude. Ethanol haters seem to be missing the bottomline. The 10% of our fuel dollars that purchase ethanol stay in America (largely in Missouri). That money does not join the $1.5 billion per day of American wealth that is being exported out of our country. Can anyone fathom the effect that draining of wealth is having on our nation?
Steelman is uninformed and pandering to the fear mongering left that wishes the US to continue to be weakened and threatened by our increasing dependence on foreign oil. To blame ethanol on rising food prices is an outrage and she, like so many other politicans try and divert the publics attention from the real problem and that is the failure of the US Congress to address the need for additional home grown energy and to tap US resources to alleviate the problem. I would urge Mr. Hulshof to back an iniative to mandate that future production of ALL US vehicles be flex fuel capable. In that manner all biofuels can be used in greater quantities and would set the stage to provide demand for cellulosic ethanol as it becomes available. Sarah Steelman shameful switch of position should give Missouri voters pause to consider what candidate truly as their best interests in mind.
Kenny Hulshof is not a tool of GOP powerbrokers, as someone has suggested in this post earlier. He has shown integrity many times over. He is ‘his own man’.
Just to summarize–voters need to ask themselves this–am I better off now at the gas pumps and heating oil distributers and in my investments and when I shop for food, or was I better off before the democrats took control of Congress in 2006?
As a former cattle rancher I can speak of the positive effects of biofuels. As an investment banker I have seen the erosion of our currency as well as our nation’s credit worthiness due to the unrelenting dependence on foreign oil. Any plan to revise or discontinue the E10 requirement in Missouri constitutes yet another boon to big oil and OPEC. Haven’t they had enough hard earned American money thrown their way? Let’s keep our heads screwed on straight and continue to work our way to locally made ethanol.
I’m amazed/scared by what I have read from the pro-ethanol/pro-Hulshof comments.
I challenge any of you to dispute the facts presented in this Show-Me Institute report.
http://www.showmeinstitute.org/publication/id.133/pub_detail.asp
Hulshof is a deceptive lying little man. Hulshof has a farm that makes money money from the increased price of corn. All of the reports, that he (Hulshof) wants people to look at, do not address the fact that ethanol produces less energy per gallon than that of gasoline.
I know it’s a novel approach, but why don’t you try to defeat fact with fact?
Steelman has made the right call on ethanol. Standing up for what is right is a trait needed in our next governor.
Maybe Kenny will find a plethora of corn at the end of that bridge in Alaska.
The implication has been offered that Kenny Hulshof is making a killing from ethanol and corn on his farm. I do not think his financial reports made public support this. Most of his net assets are not in cash, but in the value of the land on the farm. If he was profiteering on the sale of corn as a cash crop it would be reflected in cash holding, and it is not. Much of the acreage also is in soybeans, I have heard. Being a farmer in Missouri is not, in my opinion, a conflict of interest for statewide office. If he was making such a killing in farming, why go to Washington or Jeff City?
PS —forgot to mention (sorry!) I agree with Dirk McClendon’s post on ethanol, the primary subject of this thread.