Reign in the EPA Say Republican Candidates

Joanna Schroeder

The last batch of Republican presidential candidates took the Soapbox stage during the last weekend of the Iowa State Fair. New Jersey Governor Chris Christie (R) took a different approach and only answered questions. His overall statement was that the government needs to enforce the laws currently in place – not just the laws we like- but all laws. Speaking …

advanced biofuels, Agribusiness, Audio, Clean Energy, Clean Power Plan, Iowa State Fair, politics, RFS

Perry Urges Return to “Constitutional Country”

Joanna Schroeder

Former Texas Governor Rick Perry’s main message on the soapbox yesterday at the Iowa State Fair was to get America back to a constitutional country. Citing the 10th amendment, he stressed that power and decision making needs to go back to the state and to the people, as intended by our founding fathers. Power needs to be taken away from …

Agribusiness, Audio, Iowa State Fair, politics

Prez Candidates Tell ‘Bootstraps’ Stories

Joanna Schroeder

I’ve hit on a few common themes in recent posts after hearing more than a dozen soapbox speeches at the Iowa State Fair. Another one: how the presidential candidates’ parents succeeded with nothing to make life better for their children and the children pulling themselves up by their “bootstraps” to become successful. These stories were no different when Florida Senator …

Agribusiness, Audio, Energy, Iowa State Fair, politics

Ethanol Industry Asks Walker to Clarify RFS Stance

Joanna Schroeder

America’s Renewable Future (ARF) is asking Governor Walker to clarify his position on the Renewable Fuel Standard after his remarks at the Iowa State Fair on the Des Moines Register Soapbox. Walker called for ethanol mandates to be phased out; yet acknowledge that the industry created around the RFS must stay in place. Click here to read about his speech. …

Audio, biofuels, Ethanol, Iowa State Fair, politics, RFS

Republican Candidates: ‘We Can Fix America’

Joanna Schroeder

The battle cry of the presidential Republican candidates is to fix America through debt elimination, military strength and cooperation. Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker, Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and Senator from South Carolina Lindsey Graham took the stage during the Des Moines Register’s Soapbox and spoke to thousands of people at the Iowa State Fair. While the crowd is supposed to …

Agribusiness, Audio, biofuels, Environment, Ethanol, Iowa State Fair, politics, RFS

Poll Finds Biodiesel Matters

Joanna Schroeder

A new poll commissioned by the Iowa Biodiesel Board finds that 76 percent of voters in Iowa widely support expanding the Renewable Fuel Standard to increase biodiesel use in the U.S. The poll comes out during the Iowa State Fair where presidential hopefuls are taking the Des Moines Register Soapbox and speaking to the crowd. The majority of voters surveyed …

Biodiesel, biofuels, Iowa State Fair, politics, RFS

Santorum, Sanders Miss Energy Boat, Chafee Pro Hydro

Joanna Schroeder

There are a lot of candidates vying to be the next president of the United States floating around the Iowa State Fair, but for being in Iowa, many are missing the boat on two very important issues to the state – energy and agriculture. This weekend, presidential candidates Rick Santorum, former U.S. Senator of Pennsylvania (Republican); Lincoln Chafee, former Governor …

Audio, Clean Energy, Climate Change, Electricity, Hydro, Iowa State Fair, politics, RFS

Republicans Carson, Pataki on the Soapbox

Joanna Schroeder

Republican presidential hopefuls Dr. Ben Carson and former New York Governor George Pataki took the Des Moines Register Soapbox during the Iowa State Fair this weekend with a common message of reducing America’s debt. Dr. Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, focused much of his remarks on personal stories yet engaged the crowd with lessons learned. For example, he said, “The person …

Audio, biofuels, Clean Energy, Ethanol, Iowa State Fair, politics

Dems Webb & O’Malley Take the Soapbox

Joanna Schroeder

Democratic hopeful presidential candidates Jim Webb and Martin O’Malley both appeared on the Des Moines Register’s Presidential Soapbox yesterday afternoon speaking to hundreds of Iowans attending the Iowa State Fair. They have some fundamental issues in common, including both the need for better education and to bring the American dream, aka the economy, back to Americans. While Webb’s plans to …

Agribusiness, Audio, biofuels, Clean Energy, Ethanol, Iowa State Fair, Nuclear Energy, Renewable Electricty Standard (RES), RFS, Wind

Mike Huckabee on the Soapbox

Joanna Schroeder

Presidential hopeful Mike Huckabee, former governor of Arkansas (the state of the Clinton’s), took the soapbox this morning as the kick-off candidate of the Des Moines Register’s Presidential Soapbox series taking place during the Iowa State Fair. He was the winner of Iowa’s 2008 Republican Caucuses. Now back to the Clintons for a moment. Huckabee worked and fought and campaigned …

Agribusiness, Audio, biofuels, Iowa State Fair, politics, RFS