Eric Branstad: Cruz Oil Stains

by Douglas Burns (Des Moines CityView) Governor’s son rips leading GOP presidential candidate over renewable energy -- Eric Branstad, leader of a fierce grassroots organization backing renewable-energy sources like ethanol, said last Thursday that Ted Cruz is far and away the most hostile presidential candidate — of either major party — to Iowa-grain-boosting fuels.

Cruz, a Republican U.S. senator from Texas, says he wants the standard repealed.

“His first hour in the state he came out against the Renewable Fuel Standard,” Eric Branstad said. “It was the first thing out of his mouth. It was like a slap in the face, literally.”

Cruz enjoys the support of U.S. Rep. Steve King, R-Iowa, an endorsement that Eric Branstad says baffles him considering the importance of the RFS to much of King’s sweeping rural 4th District.

“I am still real surprised and shocked that Congressman King, being such an outspoken advocate, as he has pointed to the RFS, this is his words, not mine, as the holy grail, I would like to think that Congressman King is showing Senator Cruz the light with that, showing him that holy grail and hopefully giving him a drink from that holy grail,” Eric Branstad said.

“It is blatantly false to suggest that Sen. Cruz wants to end the Renewable Fuel Standard while maintaining subsidies for oil,” Cruz spokesman Rick Tyler said. “Cruz has repeatedly stated that he would end all energy-specific subsidies, both ethanol and oil among others.”

In a detailed “fact check,” America’s Renewable Future said legislation Cruz cites to back up his argument holds the petroleum industry largely harmless from any meaningful, tax-dollar-saving reform. READ MORE and MORE (Washington Examiner)

Excerpts from Washington Examiner: When speaking about Obamacare, Dodd-Frank and Wall Street, Carly Fiorina says, "The people that the federal government favors now are the big, the powerful and the well connected."

When I asked her about ethanol a few minutes later, Fiorina answered, "I've been very clear that I support the Renewable Fuel Standard as it currently stands."

Fiorina says she would let the RFS expire in 2022, as prescribed in current law.

Marco Rubio makes the same argument, a bit more obliquely: "The Renewable Fuels Standard is not something that I would have voted for had I been in the Senate, but it is now existing law and I think it would be unfair to simply yank it away from people that have made investments based on its existence."

"If there's ever an area where I've been willing to use government to assist an industry," Rubio has said when asked about ethanol, "it's been agriculture."

Jeb Bush is cagey about his ethanol views, but states, "I think, ultimately, we need to get to a point where there aren't winners or losers based on subsidies or mandates or anything else." "We need to phase that out over the long haul," Bush said on another occasion.

There's some logic to that argument — people have invested in ethanol based on the idea that the government will force Americans to buy ethanol. Maybe it's unfair to change the rules so rapidly.

Ted Cruz takes a moderate course: He proposes a 3-year ramp-down of the RFS. This is different in kind, not merely degree, from the Fiorina-Rubio position. Cruz is saying that he will advance and sign legislation to scale down the mandate. READ MORE