If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. If you have any questions, please see my policies page or if you would like to contact me, you can do so here. You can find out more about me here. I sincerely thank you for visiting!

I’ve mentioned a couple of times that I admire Missouri GOP candidate Sarah Steelman on most financial issues. Socially, I can’t vote for her because she’s right of Genghis Khan, but when it comes to fiscal issues I’m right there with her.

For several months I’ve been trying to write a piece on ethanol and its side effects. The media has focused mainly on the fact that food prices have skyrocketed as more and more of our corn supply is siphoned to make ethanol. This year one-third of the corn supply will be used for ethanol for the most part because of government mandates, according to some estimates. I’m not anti-ethanol, I just think we should take a step back and look.

Missouri, while not exactly in the corn belt grows a heckuva lot of corn. It has an ethanol mandate, which has been steadily increased to the now 10%. Fighting against ethanol mandates in this part of the country is basically political suicide. But Steelman has done exactly that, calling for an end to the mandate and even releasing a tv ad on the issue (YouTube blocked at work, will add link later).

Holy frick! Not only is she making speeches about the mandate, but the tv ad is really highlighting the view (it’s the first Steelman ad I’ve seen). A recent study called ethanol a “billion dollar mistake” (something the corn lobby disputes) and has set off a local firestorm over the benefits of ethanol. Steelman has used this to make a point, something that has allowed every other politician in Missouri to denounce her for.

I don’t think Steelman has a chance to win. The GOP machine is behind her opponent and he outraised her 5-1 in the most recent quarter. But I think we need a few more politicians like Ms. Steelman who aren’t afraid to stand up and slaughter the sacred cow if that is what they truly believe.