Surprises are one of the little joys of life. This weekend President George W. Bush did something that I never thought he would. He surprised me.

Despite my stereotype that Bush is nothing more than an oil lover from Texas, he made a decision that will help Iowa farmers and the environment in one announcement.

On Saturday, the Bush administration decided to make the Golden State use corn-based ethanol instead of accepting their plea for an exception to the Clean Air Act of 1990.

Currently California is using the additive MTBE in its gasoline as a way to reduce air pollution. But this petroleum-based additive is believed to be polluting ground and surface water, making many environmentalists upset.

So, by using MTBE, California is helping the air, but hurting their water supply.

And water, like gasoline, is in short supply in many parts of the state.

I’m surprised that Bush took a stand and made ethanol the priority he said he would. I knew Bush wasn’t against ethanol and even in his visit to Nevada, he said he was a supporter of ethanol.

But saying you are a supporter and forcing California, the most populated state in the union, to use ethanol are two very different things.

I assumed Bush would buckle under pressure from the oil industry.

I assumed he would listen to oil company claims that ethanol usage will result in higher prices for the average driver, and that they can provide similar alternatives at a lower price.

I believed Bush would give them more time to develop a similar product instead of looking to the benefits of ethanol. But he didn’t.

Instead, Bush’s decision may be the first step to help the struggling farm economy. It may be the jump-start the state of Iowa has been waiting for.

Iowa is second in the nation in ethanol production, but now with Bush’s decision, Iowa will most likely make strides to become the leader.

This decision will help low corn prices, and therefore help Midwest farmers. This may be the year that farmers can make a profit without receiving payments from the government.

Bush’s decision is a move in the right direction for this country. His commitment to environmental issues will make the nation in every aspect think more about environment.

Under his leadership, we will have a country that looks to a renewable resource to give us fuel for driving. We can turn to corn growers instead of foreign oil producers in order to keep our economy moving.

Overall, Bush’s ethanol decision was a good decision. He has shown me that not all Republicans are bad people.

This is a long term decision that will help future generations. Ethanol is a positive product for so many reasons.

Ethanol reduces U.S. dependence on foreign oil.

Ethanol reduces air pollution.

Ethanol will fuel Iowa’s economy.

That’s a Bush decision I can agree with.

Michelle Kann is a senior in journalism and mass communication from Garnavillo. She is editor in chief of the Daily.