I guess the farm program is one example pain amelioration. Another example is morphine. And morphine, like a government subsidy, is very addictive. After awhile, the addict gets no pleasure from the drug but he is still hooked because the withdrawal is very painful.
Someone had told me all these programs were being phased out. But I guess not.
It will be interesting to see if these programs can withstand the forces of the current market. The bureaucrats are busy trying to figure out how they can still stay relevant.
Some observations, my comments mainly covered the period prior to the recent run-up in grain prices.
Most farmers I know are ecstatic that they are no longer dependant on the USDA for even a portion of their income. How long that will last is difficult to tell, but for now they are enjoying a freedom that they haven’t had since WWII, and for most of them, until now, they had to ask Grandpa what is was like to be free. They aren’t going back easily.
It seems to be the consumer who is the one who is suffering the withdrawal symptoms you referenced. I think none of them, as judged by the posts here at FR, thought that the transition to government free farming would be so traumatic for them personally, and so freeing for the farmer.
By way ov evidence that ethanol has little to nothing to do with the current grain prices, see this: “Rice prices hit the $1,000-a-tonne level for the first time on Thursday as panicking importers scrambled to secure supplies, exacerbating the tightness already provoked by export restrictions in Vietnam, India, Egypt, China and Cambodia.” http://www.ft.com/cms/s/f21969fe-0ca5-11dd-86df-0000779fd2ac,Authorised=false.html?_i_location=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ft.com%2Fcms%2Fs%2F0%2Ff21969fe-0ca5-11dd-86df-0000779fd2ac.html%3Fnclick_check%3D1&_i_referer=&nclick_check=1
The recent price spike is world wide, and has very little to do with ethanol. ( I do know that not a single non-farmer here believes that, but time will prove that to be correct)
I think consumers can finally breath a sigh of relief, the market has adjusted food prices to a point that the American farmer will no longer needs the government. Their wish has been fulfilled.
Yes, there is some sarcasm in that last sentence.