Was the Ethanol Lobby the Big Loser in Iowa this Year?

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Mises:

Was the Ethanol Lobby the Big Loser in Iowa this Year?

 

FEBRUARY 2, 2016 Ryan McMaken

 

For years, the Iowa caucuses have been heavily influenced by the role of agriculture subsidies in the state in the form of ethanol subsidies. It has long been regarded as political suicide to go into Iowa and call for the end of the federal government's ethanol subsidies program.

 

Ted Cruz, who won the Iowa caucuses last night, did just that Indeed, Cruz didn't just mention on the side that he wasn't interested in protecting the subsidies. He came right out and announced that he wanted to cut them.

 

The Wall Street Journal reports:

In Sioux Center on Tuesday, Mr. Cruz reiterated his campaign position:

 

That the fuel standard should be phased out and ended by 2022. Mr. Cruz once supported legislation repealing the mandate right away, as a co-sponsor of a bill in 2013. In 2014, Mr. Cruz introduced a separate bill that would overhaul several energy policies, including phasing out the mandate over five years, similar to his current campaign position.