Energy Masquerade

Re “Filling the Trough,” editorial, Aug. 3: It is remarkable that no media I am aware of have challenged President Bush on his energy plan with his own conservative campaign mantras of how the government should not pick winners and losers; environmental improvements should rely on the free-market approach; the federal government should devolve all possible power to the states; and that he was against gas taxes.

The ethanol subsidy is inherently a gas tax and, in particular, violates all the above by forcing states, including California, to use ethanol when oil companies can meet the requirements without it. Conservatives are always conservative on someone else’s wallet. Midwestern Democrats, of course, are also owned by ethanol interests and therefore will not bring up this Bush/Republican hypocrisy. But shame on our own senators and representatives for not presenting this argument.

Dove Menkes

Fullerton