Pawlenty Braves Iowa on Ethanol

He may lose to Michele Bachmann in the Iowa primary but kudos to Tim Pawlenty for breaking the ethanol stranglehold Iowa has had on both parties. WSJ:

"The truth about federal energy subsidies, including federal subsidies for ethanol, is that they have to be phased out," Mr. Pawlenty told a crowd in Des Moines. "We simply can't afford them anymore."


He's certainly right about that, though that hasn't stopped nearly every other candidate from deploring the federal deficit while supporting the most egregious of corporate welfare subsidies. This marks a change for Mr. Pawlenty, who over two terms leading Iowa's northern neighbor first fought farmers on subsidies but later supported their push for a 20% ethanol mandate for gasoline. But in refusing to stick to the script for candidates looking to harvest votes in February's Iowa caucuses, Mr. Pawlenty has passed an early test of fortitude. By opposing ethanol despite the political risks, Mr. Pawlenty will also gain credibility to tackle other energy subsidies that drain the federal fisc to little good effect.

His ad was a winner and he's building on that.

More. Examiner pro and con here.

Lake Country

But will anyone actually vote for the guy in the primaries?

No, I'm not talking Romney who I wish would go away, or Gingrich who is now TOTAL TOAST, but Mitch Daniels.

He's the one looking good on paper as a president before he decides to explore a run but I have this uneasy feeling he's kind of tone deaf and too low key. Well, we shall see.

This latest judicial decision in Indiana won't help his already low poll numbers either.

I look forward to the debates and some fireworks before the winter caucus in Iowa.

And we may have some late entrants--it's a wide open race:)

As Rush says, Dems will tell us who they fear.

P.S. HotAir poll.

  --crossposted at BackyardConservative

Obama's Running Mate, Mitt. Mr. Fix-It Stuffs Up Beyond Repair on RomneyCare

WSJ scathing editorial in advance of today's op-ed and speech by Romney. The Journal, in part:

 The safety-net fund that was supposed to be unwound, well, wasn't. Uncompensated hospital care rose 5% from 2008 to 2009, and 15% from 2009 to 2010, hitting $475 million (though the state only paid out $405 million). "Avoidable" use of emergency rooms—that is, for routine care like a sore throat—increased 9% between 2004 and 2008. Meanwhile, unsubsidized insurance premiums for individuals and small businesses have climbed to among the highest in the nation.  

Like Mr. Obama's reform, RomneyCare was predicated on the illusion that insurance would be less expensive if everyone were covered. Even if this theory were plausible, it is not true in Massachusetts today. So as costs continue to climb, Mr. Romney's Democratic successor now wants to create a central board of political appointees to decide how much doctors and hospitals should be paid for thousands of services. 

The Romney camp blames all this on a failure of execution, not of design. But by this cause-and-effect standard, Mr. Romney could push someone out of an airplane and blame the ground for killing him.

I supported Romney over McCain in 2008 but it is long past time for Mitt to admit the massive failure of Massachusetts' healthcare system, instituted on his watch as governor.

Romney has shown he is out of step with the times, and with the American experiment our founders established. We need honest leaders with clear solutions, who respect the freedom of the individual, not apologists for big government coercion and failure.

The Tea Party in Boston of yore recognized tyranny when they saw it. For all his smarts and know-how, Mitt sticks with the ruling class.

...And has shown he's not up to the battles yet to come. We need a candidate with a core philosophy, integrity, and courage.

--crossposted at BackyardConservative

Washington’s arrogance has triggered a political rebellion in our country

I don’t think “rebellion” is too strong of a word.

Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner of Ohio, in a speech to the Economic Club of New York.

They have tried our patience too far. We want TRILLIONS and TRILLIONS in cuts.

The 9/11 Generation Does Us Proud

Those who came of age in an America wounded by bin Laden's Al Qaeda, who stepped up to serve their country, bring down the terrorist mass murderer.

These are our heroes. They are our future.

They've inspired a new generation of Americans, they've inspired us all.

It's a victory for America, and we're happy to claim it.

And we live to fight another day, for freedom.

P.S. Day by Day

...give the president his due, but let's hear no more talk of "overseas contingency operations"...or this kind of rot from the left.

--crossposted at BackyardConservative