“Is” certainly does not equal “ought.” The market has not spoken. The senators do not have an intellectual case for agricultural rent-seeking and crony capitalism. The way forward, as Travis Fisher of the Cato Institute explains, is to abolish the mandate and let a free market determine the right (lower) amount of ethanol needed as an oxygenate.
Apologists for uneconomical, government-dependent energies (a federally mandated ethanol mandate in this case) must use the best arguments they can conjure up, especially any that might appear plausible to the short-attention-span reader. The half-truth can do this, with the truth part setting up the deception. Another ploy is the “is” as if it is “ought.”
Consider the letter published in the Wall Street Journal last month by five farm state senators [1], “The Market Has Spoken: E15 Is a Net Positive” (June 4, 2026).…
“In Europe’s air conditioning wars, the hoi polloi are beating the climate scolds. The public is putting comfort and public health above green dictates.” (- Wall Street Journal editorial, July 20, 2026).
The summer peak is climate alarmism time. To which it can be said: “don’t whine, chill.” That means enjoying air conditioning inside but also thinking about conditioned air outside and certainly mist machines. And witness the plethora of new products to handle the heat, from underwear to hats to shirts. From the AI summary:
…Mini-A/C units for clothing integrate seamlessly into your wardrobe to provide portable, on-the-go cooling. Ranging from wearable clip-on personal fans and thermoelectric neck plates (like the Sony Reon Pocket) to battery-powered cooling jackets, these systems circulate continuous airflow or actively chill your skin.
“It is time to stop the EPA from acting like an economic planning agency and instead get it focused on its mission of environmental protection.” (Coalition letter, below)
Executive Orders reflect the party in power. Congress sets the rules for administrative agencies. To this end, a group of 40 free market groups led by the Competitive Enterprise Institute (CEI) sent a coalition letter in support of legislation to rein in the overly politicized, climate-activist U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The proposed legislation, End of EPA Abuse Act of 2026 ( S. 4931 and H.R. 9453), was introduced by Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) and Rep. Andrew Clyde (R-GA) respectively, with support from twenty state attorneys general.
The letter follows:
Dear Member of Congress:
The undersigned organizations urge you to support the End EPA Abuse Act of 2026 (H.R.…