A high-ranking officer in the New Mexico National Guard is unhappy about the ethanol mandate causing problems on the Southern Border:

The third storm front is food. America’s well-intentioned but misguided emphasis on ethanol has caused food prices to rise beyond the poor’s income. Corn prices have tripled and tortilla prices have soared. Food riots and protests are now common throughout Mexico and confidence in the government is eroding. The result is this: income flows to Mexico are falling while social unrest is rising. Predictably, this storm is now manifesting in violence in Mexico’s northern states and it is becoming apparent that Mexico is having difficulties maintaining stability. Meanwhile, drug cartels are having no such monetary problems.

Even if ethanol might possibly have a role to play in the nation’s fuel mix (and, as I’ve said here, it’s possible imported Brazilian sugar-based ethanol might, if allowed), then the corn ethanol mandates are manifestly the wrong way to do it.

Hat-tip: Alex Nowrasteh.