The New Yorker has an article from the author of the Wisdom of Crowds on sugar subsidies in the 11/27 edition. Suroweicki makes the case that our current subsidies which favor corn producers over cane producers is both inefficient and uneconomic. The Bush administration has not had a very admirable record on tariffs and subsidies, at least for an administration that is supposedly committed to free trade. Add to our policy on sugar, a couple of tariffs like the ones on steel and timber, imposed in the first term - and you have a pretty sad set of policies.
As Suroweicki points out the sugar subsidy is particularly egregious. Corn is a lousy product to produce energy. In this case rising star Barack Obama is a part of the festivities on this one - representing his farm state constituents. Long term energy independence would be facilitated by a more intelligent set of policies. But so would long term relations in the Western Hemisphere.
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