Big Corn and Big Ethanol have lobbyists. Why do you think it wrong for the food industry to have the same?

As you well know, lobbyists are paid to promote an agenda for their clients. There’s nothing evil or sinister about that, and in fact the food industry makes a good point that the RFS increases food prices.

They shouldn’t be malicious or lie about the facts, but it is certainly an area deserving national debate.

Gary,
Allow me to comment here. I do not think it is wrong for Big Food to have lobbyists. In fact, a national debate on corn ethanol has been underway for several years. Debate ensued around the Energy Policy Act of 2005 in which the renewable fuels standard was placed. Debate sparked and grew last year as Congress deliberated passage of the 2007 energy bill that increased the RFS.

And for once you and I see eye to eye on something: They shouldn’t be malicious or lie about the facts. In fact, they are. Scott Faber has been intentionally distorting the facts to Congress and the public. Sen. Grassley hit the nail on the head when pointed to the group-think mentality that is occurring to scapegoating ethanol for everything from high gas prices, global food shortages, global warming and deforestation.