Key West Lou/ New Farm Law A Gravy Train
The American people should be furious. Furious about the farm laws of old and the new farm law. Furious that the farm law provides more subsidies to the rich and reduces food stamps to the poor. The people are being shafted once more by their elected officials.
Farm legislation came into being as part of the New Deal back in 1933 when things were worse than today. Roosevelt made sure farmers could survive by having the government pay them even though they did not grow food. Roosevelt was also concerned about the poor having food to eat. A nutrition program was part of the farm package, the precursor to the present day food stamp program.
The life of a farm law is five years. Every five years, a new one must be adopted, the new one this week when President Obama signed it into law.
This article is concerned not with the entire law, rather with a few basics that suggest questionable activity.
The farm bills through 1996 were not bad though the paying for not growing feature had increased. Then in 1996 the government added a new method by which farmers could protect themselves. Crop insurance. Crop insurance paid if a crop failure or price drop occurred. From 1996 forward, direct subsidy payments and the crop insurance program were available to farmers.The crop insurance program has resulted in the highest subsidies paid in history. Crop insurance premiums are paid substantially in part by the government.
What a deal! Either way, by direct subsidy or insurance, the government is guaranteeing the success of the agricultural industry. There is no other business receiving such a benefit.
What is bothersome is that many Congressmen have benefited from the law. They vote in support of the law, together with its subsidies and crop insurance programs, at a time when they also own farms that will benefit from the legislation.
What is more bothersome is the secrecy that comes into play. The farm law does not require that names of Congressmen and members of their immediate families who receive benefits under the law be revealed. The law extends to Cabinet members also. The identity of such Congresspersons was a part of this year’s law as originally drafted. However, it was removed prior to the final vote. So much for transparency. Makes you suspect something stinks in Denmark!
Following are examples of Congresspersons and/or their immediate family who received benefits in 2012 alone. This information is purportedly secret and supposedly not available. However, certain open government groups have come up with the following. Rep. Doug La Malfa (R-Ca) and wife $62,857, Rep. Frank Lucas’ wife (R-Ok) $14,584, Rep. Stephen Fincher and wife (R-Tenn) $70,574, Sen. John Tester and wife (D-Mt) $21,281, Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-In) $9,935, and Sen. Orin Hatch and wife (R-Ut) $10,506.
Note that the new farm law cuts $8 billion from the food stamp program over the next 10 years. Eight hundred fifty thousand poor families will receive $90 per month less while the above Congressional representatives are receiving subsidies in far greater amounts. It does not make sense.
The rich and/or famous also benefit. Those receiving monies under the farm law include former President Jimmy Carter, Bruce Springsteen, Paul Alan (co-founder Microsoft), Leonard Lauder (former CEO Estee Lauder Companies), S. Trist Cultry (founder Chick-fil-A), Charles Schwab (founder brokerage firm Charles Schwab Corporation), and David Rockefeller, Sr. (former chairman and Chief Executive of Chase Manhattan Bank).
Lobbying dollars come into play, monies paid to assure legislation is passed consistent with the desires of those paying. Government for money.
Recall that each farm law is for five years. Monsanto is a major agrifarmer. One of the biggest. The American Farm Bureau lobbies for the benefit of its farmer members. Over a five year period, the two spent a total of $57.9 million for lobbying efforts., Monsanto $36 million and the American Farm Bureau $27.9 million.
Some of those dollars ended up in the coffers of those most able to help. The House Agriculture Committee chairman received $744,000 from agribusinesses in the 2012 election cycle. The Senate chair received $346,000. These monies were generally paid into their political war chests.
Such is a brief part of the farm law story. The rich getting richer and the poor poorer. The government permitting a crop insurance/subsidy program to continue for which there is no practical need.. .Congresspersons voting for the law, then benefiting from it. Secrecy clouding specifically who they are.
Only in America? No. It has been this way in most other nations over the years. The United States has merely caught up with international governmental abuse of the electorate.
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I understand somewhat Lou’s grief minus the SNAP aka EBT aka food stamps decrease. imo that program should end due to extreme abuse & govt dependency .
It is not quite clear if milk price will increase more. The price jumped before farm bill was even put through giving the appearance that the milkers knew it would happen.