Liberal Ignorance on Basic Economics Causing Hunger Crisis

Conn Carroll / April 16, 2008

One of the biggest lies coming out of both liberal presidential candidates this year is that instituting mandatory carbon caps will not have any adverse economic impacts on Americans since both candidates also promise to spend billions to create “green collar jobs.” So far real working Americans are not buying this sham as witnessed by the dozens of hard-hatted steelworkers that drove to Annapolis to kill Gov. Martin O’Malley’s (D) carbon cap bill.

Congress’ understanding of basic economics is even worse. Last year liberals drove the body to pass a fivefold increase in mandated biofuel use. Now the rest of the world is paying for liberal ignorance. According to CNN: “U.S. ethanol production is on course to account for about 30 percent of the national corn crop by 2010, dramatically curtailing the amount of land available for food crops and pushing up the price of corn flour on international commodity markets.” With riots erupting in the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia over high food prices. UNESCO issued a report concluding: “The diversion of agricultural crops to fuel can raise food prices and reduce our ability to alleviate hunger throughout the world.” The New York Times reports: “The United Nations special rapporteur for the right to food, Jean Ziegler, has said biofuels are ‘a crime against humanity’ because they raise global food prices.”

Fortunately it seems some liberals in Congress are capable of learning on the issue. Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.) admitted that some of his colleagues “had come to realize that Congress made a mistake in backing biofuels, not anticipating the impact on food costs.” He went on to say: “If there was a secret vote, there is a pretty large number of people who would like to reassess what we are doing.”

Hopefully Congress will remember the lesson when they debate the Warner/Lieberman cap-and-trade bill later this year.