The House and Senate agriculture committees have come up with a bill that will continue farm subsidies, cutting far less than even the Obama Administration proposed and even creates a new subsidy program for grain producers.
Dear Congress, we had an election in 2010 and the voters overwhelmingly sent the message to Washington to cut government spending. Many of you were elected on the promise that you would do just that. What part of cut spending don’t you understand?
Even the spending juggernaut Obama Administration asked for $33 billion in cuts on farm, conservation and nutrition spending during the next 10 years. But the House and Senate agriculture committees have proposed to cut spending on farm, conservation and nutrition spending by only $23 billion during the next 10 years.
Realizing that this farm bill probably would be in trouble in the Republican-controlled House, the lawmakers are looking to insert the bill into a deficit-reduction plan that a congressional supercommittee is developing because that would insulate the farm legislation from further cuts. Using this ploy, the House and Senate will have to take an up or down vote on the deficit plan and cannot alter individual components, including farm subsidies.
One member of the House Agriculture Committee, Kristi Noem (R-SD), who is part of the House Republican leadership as one of two representatives of the freshman class and who was elected on the promise of cutting government spending, was quoted on Thursday, 10/27/2011 saying,
“At the end of the day, I think conservatives will get on board, recognizing the importance of generating a safe and reliable food supply.”
That sounds like it’s right out of the progressive liberal handbook and it is pure donkey dust.
The farm subsidies and other subsidies are just schemes to privatize profits and socialize losses. Let’s let all businesses, including farming and ranching, stand on their own without big government handouts even if it’s politically risky.
***Ed Randazzo, is a nationally syndicated author. He has been a conservative activist and consultant for over 30 years and is currently the Chief News Editor of Life and Liberty Media***
