The China-Russia partnership is a highly consequential geopolitical alignment driven by a shared goal of countering U.S. hegemony and reshaping the international order into a multipolar system. While not a formal alliance, this relationship is strengthened by Russia's increasing economic reliance on China following Western sanctions, which allows Beijing to leverage its influence. Policymakers should note that while the partnership projects deep solidarity (as seen in high-level summits), it remains complex and limited by mutual mistrust and competing strategic interests. This enduring alignment poses a significant challenge to U.S. interests and requires continued diplomatic vigilance.
American Corn Growers Have an Ethanol Problem. We Should Stop Enabling It.
English Summary
The Cato Institute argues that federal mandates and subsidies for corn ethanol, particularly through the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS), constitute an expensive and unnecessary government intervention. The authors contend that these subsidies are an 'addiction' that primarily benefits large agricultural lobbies and refiners at the expense of taxpayers and consumers. Key evidence cited includes the fact that the RFS has been shown to increase emissions and that the mandates are not essential for fuel performance or market stability. Policy-wise, the report strongly recommends that Congress abolish the entire RFS program, allowing ethanol to find its place purely in the free market and removing government involvement from the transportation fuel business.
中文摘要
卡托學會（Cato Institute）主張，聯邦政府針對玉米乙醇實施的強制配額和補貼，特別是透過《再生燃料標準》（Renewable Fuel Standard, RFS）機制，構成了一項昂貴且不必要的政府干預。作者們認為，這些補貼是一種「成癮性」，其主要受益者是大型農業遊說團體和精煉業者，而代價卻由納稅人和消費者承擔。報告引用的關鍵證據包括：RFS已被證實會增加排放量，且這些強制配額對於燃料性能或市場穩定性並非必需。從政策層面來看，該報告強烈建議國會廢除整個RFS計畫，讓乙醇能夠純粹在自由市場中尋找定位，並將政府參與從運輸燃料業務中移除。
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