More Ethanol Boondoggle Facts and Fun
A recent letter to the editor regarding ethanol mandates written by Jim Stuever of Dexter, MO http://www.semissourian.com/story/188735... caught my attention. I wondered why this particular individual was so passionate about preserving the federal ethanol mandate.
I usually start my search for answers to agriculture issues with the EWG database. I was not surprised to find that four Stuevers from Dexter have received over $3 million in farm subsidies since 1999 (including Jim Steuver at almost $2 million individually)...
http://farm.ewg.org/addrsearch.php?s=yup...
Mr. Jim Stuever is also the Vice-President of the Missouri Corn Growers Assn, and serves on the National Corn Growers Assn Trades and Biotechnology Action Team...
http://www.mocorn.org/index.php?option=c...
Rep. Emerson has received more funds from agribusiness than any other sector...
http://www.opensecrets.org/politicians/i...
The Missouri Corn Growers Assn has contributed $1000 to Rep. Emerson in 2012...
http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cmte=C00487686&cycle=2012
The National Corn Growers Assn has contributed $4500 to Rep. Emerson in 2012...
http://www.opensecrets.org/pacs/pacgot.php?cmte=C00376343&cycle=2012
Obviously the influence of the agriculture industry on Rep. Emerson's voting record is substantial given her support for past farm bills...
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2002/roll123.xml
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/roll346.xml
and the federal ethanol mandate...
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2005/roll132.xml
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/roll1177.xml (this vote was also the infamous "outlaw incandescent lightbulbs law")
Obviously the vast majority of the voters in this congressional district don't care that our representative (or any representative from any congressional district for that matter) can be bought. Obviously congressional approval ratings are somewhere between gum disease and inflamed hemmorhoids.
Is Rep. Jo Ann Emerson a part of the bigger problems in this country as a whole, or is her particular brand of crony capitalism positive? Just something to think about when you are paying more for less at the grocery store, and when you see those big Emerson campaign signs on the edge of the cornfields in Stoddard County.
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