2012 Indiana Senate Debates: on Energy & Oil


Joe Donnelly: I opposed cap-and-trade even though Dem leadership pushed it

Mourdock said Donnelly has too often bowed to pressure to line up with his own party. "Washington is that place where principles get crushed. They get compromised by partisanship," he said.

Donnelly answered that he had opposed the carbon cap-and-trade measure and supported a constitutional balanced budget amendment--two moves that were out of step with most congressional Democrats.

Source: Evansville Courier & Press on 2012 Indiana Senate debate Oct 15, 2012

Richard Lugar: Make all cars "flex-fuel" vehicles

Lugar found himself accused of driving up gas prices. Mourdock leveled the provocative charge that Lugar's ethanol policies are driving up prices at the pump, now at $3.85 a gallon in the state.

Lugar has long been at the forefront of pro-ethanol policies, including a proposal to make sure that all cars are "flex-fuel" vehicles capable of running on ethanol. But Mourdock charged that federal policies promoting ethanol are contributing to rising gas prices. "Most of us, especially as Republicans, object to mandates from the federal government," Mourdock said. "And yet suddenly we saw more ethanol being mandated into our gasoline."

The federal government gave gas refiners a subsidy to add ethanol to their product, but that policy was phased out at the start of 2012. Instead, the federal government now mandates only that the industry add some sort of alternative fuel, which often means ethanol derived from corn.

Source: Huffington Post on 2012 Indiana Senate debate Apr 12, 2012

Richard Mourdock: Oppose ethanol subsidy as a matter of conservative principle

Mourdock leveled the provocative charge that Lugar's ethanol policies are driving up prices at the pump, now at $3.85 a gallon in the state. "Most of us, especially as Republicans, object to mandates from the federal government," Mourdock said. "And yet suddenly we saw more ethanol being mandated into our gasoline."

Just a few years ago, Mourdock's stance would have been heresy for a candidate in a farm state. Even though the state actually farms more acres of soybeans these days, corn has long been integral to Indiana's self-image. Gov. Mitch Daniels and the candidates for governor are generally supportive of ethanol. Lugar, himself a farmer, has long taken the stance that what's good for corn is good for the state. But that argument has less and less support from Republicans these days. The industry, meanwhile, believes it is finally becoming competitive on its own terms. Mourdock, who has been endorsed by the Tea Party Express, outlines his stance as a matter of conservative principle.

Source: Huffington Post on 2012 Indiana Senate debate Apr 12, 2012

Richard Mourdock: Ethanol mandates lead to high gas prices

Mourdock was strong and focused when it came to economic issues. He criticized the Obama administration on several occasions. Federal regulations, including one mandating the use of corn-based ethanol, he said, have led to high gas prices, he said. He also advocated for more domestic oil drilling. Lugar countered that the ethanol requirement helps state corn farmers, and said that gas prices are decreasing thanks to a relative calming of Middle East tensions.
Source: RealClearPoitics.com coverage of 2012 Indiana Senate debates Apr 12, 2012

Richard Lugar: Subsidizing ethanol makes overall gasoline prices go down

When Mourdock blamed high gas prices on government regulation and an ethanol mandate that Lugar supported, the Senator fired back. "Ethanol makes the overall prices go down and furthermore, it's a Hoosier product with Hoosier's producing it on farms that meant higher values for corn and higher land values for this state," said Lugar.
Source: 14 News WFIE Evansville on 2012 Indiana Senate debate Apr 11, 2012

Richard Mourdock: High gas prices come from federal mandates like ethanol

When Mourdock blamed high gas prices on government regulation and an ethanol mandate that Lugar supported, the Senator fired back. "Ethanol makes the overall prices go down and furthermore, it's a Hoosier product with Hoosier's producing it on farms that meant higher values for corn and higher land values for this state," said Lugar.
Source: 14 News WFIE Evansville on 2012 Indiana Senate debate Apr 11, 2012

  • The above quotations are from 2012 Indiana Senate Debate.
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Candidates and political leaders on Energy & Oil:

Retired Senate as of Jan. 2015:
GA:Chambliss(R)
IA:Harkin(D)
MI:Levin(D)
MT:Baucus(D)
NE:Johanns(R)
OK:Coburn(R)
SD:Johnson(D)
WV:Rockefeller(D)

Resigned from 113th House:
AL-1:Jo Bonner(R)
FL-19:Trey Radel(R)
LA-5:Rod Alexander(R)
MA-5:Ed Markey(D)
MO-9:Jo Ann Emerson(R)
NC-12:Melvin Watt(D)
SC-1:Tim Scott(R) 		Retired House to run for Senate or Governor:
AR-4:Tom Cotton(R)
GA-1:Jack Kingston(R)
GA-10:Paul Broun(R)
GA-11:Phil Gingrey(R)
HI-1:Colleen Hanabusa(D)
IA-1:Bruce Braley(D)
LA-6:Bill Cassidy(R)
ME-2:Mike Michaud(D)
MI-14:Gary Peters(D)
MT-0:Steve Daines(R)
OK-5:James Lankford(R)
PA-13:Allyson Schwartz(D)
TX-36:Steve Stockman(R)
WV-2:Shelley Capito(R) 		Retired House as of Jan. 2015:
AL-6:Spencer Bachus(R)
AR-2:Tim Griffin(R)
CA-11:George Miller(D)
CA-25:Howard McKeon(R)
CA-33:Henry Waxman(D)
CA-45:John Campbell(R)
IA-3:Tom Latham(R)
MN-6:Michele Bachmann(R)
NC-6:Howard Coble(R)
NC-7:Mike McIntyre(D)
NJ-3:Jon Runyan(R)
NY-4:Carolyn McCarthy(D)
NY-21:Bill Owens(D)
PA-6:Jim Gerlach(R)
UT-4:Jim Matheson(D)
VA-8:Jim Moran(D)
VA-10:Frank Wolf(R)
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Page last updated: Dec 04, 2018