Posted on 01/17/2011 9:21:06 AM PST by secretagent
Vows by Congressional Republicans to slash billions from the federal budget at a time when joblessness is high and the economy needs stimulus are reckless. But here is one big-ticket saving that all members of Congress should get behind: cutting the billions of dollars in farm subsidies that distort food prices, encourage overfarming and inflate the price of land.
The government spends $10 billion to $30 billion a year subsidizing mainly large-scale farmers. That includes: $5 billion in direct payments that are delivered regardless of what or even whether farmers plant; up to $7 billion in “marketing loans” that effectively set a floor on crop prices; up to $4 billion to protect farmers in bad years; about $4 billion in subsidies to buy crop insurance — which lead to higher premiums; and more.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
Wow, something I agree with the NYT on. OK lets also eliminate the Farm Bureau, and the .......
“...Because if the government does not take this money away from those evil rich (I just hate them, don’t you?) Then they will just bake it into pies”
Because the Stimulus was so successful?
-------
In 1996, President Clinton signed into law a bill that was supposed to end 60 years of farm subsidies. Critics now complain it's done just the opposite.
In fact, the Freedom to Farm Act is now sending farmers more subsidies than ever before.
* The act was passed in 1996, when high commodity prices drove farm income to a record $55 billion -- seemingly indicating it was safe for the government to get out of agriculture.
* But in 1997 commodity prices dropped, Congress got back in to act, and by 2000 subsidies provided farmers 49 percent of their net income -- and government payments last year soared to a record $23 billion.
* Subsides since 1996 total $92 billion, triple the sum authorized in 1996 to ease the transition to the free market.
* Since enactment of Freedom to Farm, subsides have provided 32 percent of farmers' income.
Source: Thomas A. Fogarty, "Freedom to Farm? Not Likely," USA Today, January 3, 2002.
Then it’s on to defund foreign aid, the Dept.of Indoctrination (Education), the EPA, the DOE, etc.
If liberals want to cut spending on it, it must be good.
the ONE place in government where I see some actual benefit is in the farms. We have major flods and droughts and we never go short on food.
Over farming? we got extra food to gove to poor people.
You dont want JUST ENOUGH food produced. Because then when a problem occurs what are you gonna do? wait for next year for more crops? What are you gonna feed your family until then?
I am all for gutting the government. But we gotta WEAN these people off slowly- 10% ACROSS THE BOARD the first year. And every year until it seems like enough.
Set priotities: Military, Roads and bridges, emergency preparedness come first. DIVERSITY TRAINING courses and “Bolstering Public Confidence in a prior automotive Purchase” come dead last.
Drop in the bucket.
Thay can do that AFTER they shut this stuff down lock stock and barrel:
How Much of Your Money Wasted on ‘Climate Change’? Try $10.6 Million a Day
Pajamas Media ^ | January 15, 2011 | Art Horn
http://pajamasmedia.com/blog/how-much-of-your-money-wasted-on-climate-change-try-10-6-million-a-day/?singlepage=true
They are also giving money to farmers to grow food to ship out of the country. How about we take care of this country first. I know.....they really don’t care about this country but we do. If we don’t take care of ourselves, we can’t continue to take care of others.
Ah ha, the nub of the issue.
With the blood of Christian children.
Get the slander and liable right, wouldja?
I had trouble getting past the utter idiocy of this statement.
Because the Stimulus was so successful?
These ideologues refuse to learn. KEYNES IS DEAD, AND SO ARE HIS THEORIES.
A good test indeed after all real Capitalists would let the free market work and it would be a great way to start a movement to end Socialism. Let’s face it whether it’s bail outs for the Banks or the big farmer’s or Food Stamps in a real capitalist free market the government doesn’t take care of everybody. That way the left couldn’t use it as an excuse and we wouldn’t be subsidizing Ethanol.
What’s the Farm Bureau? I’m for eliminating it, and I don’t even know what it is.
Hey, its the NY Times. The art of the possible, etc.
Sounds good to me.
Cutting farm subsidies would help the economy....but too many benefit from it
Especially Free Trader Globalists.....with the redistribution of goods and wealth via Free Trade....we now have to subsidize Big Ag because they cannot make any money selling their Ag products inside or outside the US....mainly because Communist China so aggressively subsidizes their own Ag products.
Of course, slapping a tariff on Communist Chinese goods would eliminate the need for a lot of Ag subsidies...but the Commie Free Traders whine every time someone mentions “tariff”. Economically, it would be better to slap tariffs on foreign goods...than to subsidize US goods because they cannot compete.
I rather pay tariffs on Communist Chinese goods than subsidies to US farmers. We would not need subsidies if Communist Chinese products were tariffed
Sounds like a good FR thread.
Apparently even the Sierra Club doesn’t like corn ethanol subsides now, according to Stossel.
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