Political Quotes

“Mr. President, last week there was a news conference by a group of outside people who attacked ethanol, and then the senior Senator from Arizona gave a speech on that subject last week. I told the senior Senator that I was going to have something to say about ethanol this week; I didn't tell the news conference people that I was. So it seems to be that time of year once again. Without fail, every few months or so, we have big oil on the one hand and big food interest groups on the other hand start a misinformation campaign in an effort to denigrate the U.S. biofuels producers. In other words, they are attacking renewable fuels. Last week, almost as if on cue, a group opposed to domestic efforts to reduce our dependence on foreign oil began their usual song and dance. A press conference led by the Grocery Manufacturers Association and other special interest groups was held to malign the benefits of homegrown renewable fuels. Don't forget that this is the same group of folks who, a few years ago, waged a high-priced, inside-the-beltway smear campaign against ethanol for allegedly leading to higher food prices. At that time, the price of corn was going up because there was speculation in commodities, the price of oil was going up, and so the grocery manufacturers decided: We have to have an excuse to increase the price of food--20 percent, roughly. Well, you know what, the price of grain came down, but the price of food has not come down.…”