So McCain wants to advantage Brazilian ethanol imports and cut subsidies to domestic ethanol?

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Why is it acceptable to favor imported ethanol over domestic production of ethanol? I found that exchange in the debate amazing.


"I would eliminate the tariff on imported sugar cane-based ethanol from Brazil," McCain said.

U.S. President George W. Bush also opposes the 54-cent-per-gallon tariff on ethanol imports that Congress extended this year until 2010. The tariff has limited U.S. ethanol imports from countries with extensive biofuel programs such as Brazil, which produces 27.5 billion liters of ethanol annually.
http://www.reuters.com/article/politicsNews/idUSTRE49F0F520081016

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1. why not work to stimulate domestic production, help build new plants, etc.

. . . instead of creating a market opportunity for foreign ethanol?


Farmers rightly fear that ethanol imports could undercut the growth of the domestic ethanol industry and undermine our effort to establish ethanol as a major domestic energy source.

(borrowed from Tom Daschle)