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Off The Editor’s Desk – 11-25-2015

We are fortunate to have an Ethanol Plant in our area, it is located along highway 170 between Boyceville and Wheeler. It has been up and running for a number of years and yes I like to use ethanol in my vehicles. I have two that can accept E-85 and I have used it many times. I can attest that the mileage is less, but so is the cost of the fuel. If it is forty cents less in the tank it goes. We have a tax paying, job-creating factory in our community and that’s great.

Early in his campaign, Republican president candidate, Ben Carlson supported ethanol. He noted that to win the Iowa Primary, a candidate must support ethanol. Now he has changed his mind.

Carson told a national audience during a CNBC GOP debate that he no longer supports subsidies for any industry, including ethanol. I agree, and I know that the government subsidies, for wind turbines have expired also. The ethanol industry shot back at Carson, saying it receives no government subsidies.

That’s correct, “but there is a mandate that orders refiners to blend ethanol into motor fuels which forces consumers to buy their product,” stated Marita Noon, author of Energy Freedom. I must add that at a number of stations, a pump with no ethanol added fuel is available for those who do to want to burn ethanol. But, from what I have observed, it costs more.

A couple of other little tidbits that I came across this past week include an item that Congress is set to defund sue and settle scams. That is where green groups acting in cahoots with the EPA or U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service sues the Agency demanding that they apply the law in a new, expanded way that increases the agency’s jurisdiction.

According to Rick Manning, who is the president of Americans for Limited Government, the agency, rather than defending the law, enters into a consent decree with the party who filed the original lawsuit. A judge signs the consent decree without review, since the two ‘disputing’ parties are in agreement. Suddenly, the agency has new, expansive powers to wield against job creators. And then for the kicker, taxpayers have to foot the legal bills of the attorneys who filed the suit.

Representative Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) offered an amendment to defund the Interior Department appropriation bill to denying the payment of attorney fees. This action is needed to stop the Obama Administration orchestrated expansion of executive power. That’s how a new law is created without the approval of Congress.

If you are as old as I am, you might remember it was 50 years ago, November 23rd, that the Beatles made their only appearance in Minneapolis. Now, Beatle historian Larry Marion has set up two exhibits of photographs of that day. One is in the Hard Rock Café at the Mall of America and the other is at the Jean Stephen Galleries in Minneapolis. The exhibit runs until January 1st.

One other thing is that the Affordable Health Care Insurance exchanges are open for business. Americans without insurance have a few more weeks to sign up for coverage or face a slew of penalties. As much as I dislike the program, it’s the law.

On one other note, one of the big health insurance companies in Minnesota stated last week that they might withdraw from the health insurance exchanges due to mounting losses.

Thanks for reading!       ~Carlton