OPINION

Pawlenty's ethanol speech underscores Hill efforts

Townhall Staff
Townhall Staff  |  May 24, 2011
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Tim Pawlenty’s call Monday for scaling down ethanol tax incentives underscores efforts already under way by congressional supporters of the corn-based additive to hasten the transition from a decades-old tax credit — before they’re beaten to the punch.

The former Minnesota governor — kicking off his GOP presidential campaign in corn-heavy Iowa no less — said ethanol subsidies need to go in order to help lower the federal debt.

“We need to do it gradually. We need to do it fairly. But we need to do it,” Pawlenty said. “The hard truth is that there are no longer any sacred programs.”