Barry Rabe was quoted in a Politico article about a recent decision by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to increase the allowable percentage, from 10 to 15 percent, of ethanol—a corn-based fuel—in new cars. Some question the timing of this announcement claiming the administration is using it to "shore up" Democratic support from key Midwestern states for the November election.
"This can be seen as one of a series of steps leading up to an important election that could have some benefit for the administration or administration-supported candidates in a few key states or districts," Barry Rabe explained to Politico. "There's likely to be a very intense, positive response," in farm states, Rabe said, whereas the reaction in the rest of the country will likely be muted. "The costs are really going to be pretty broadly distributed."
Barry Rabe quoted in a Politico article, "Ethanol decision seen as Corn Belt pandering"
October 14, 2010