The "Bipartisan" Farm Bill

Bipartisanship in action, folks...

(*SIGH*)

[This year's] so-called “farm bill” - the Federal Agriculture and Risk Management Act (H.R. 6083) - will [if passed] cost $957 billion over ten years according to the Congressional Budget Office.

The last farm bill, enacted in 2008, cost $604 billion over ten years.

This [Congressional session's] bill amounts to a 60% increase in farm and food aid since the last re-authorization.

THAT'S WITH A REPUBLICAN HOUSE, FOLKS... WITH JOHN BOEHNER AS SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.

SUPPORTERS OF THIS PROPOSED 60% INCREASE CLAIM THAT THE BILL ACTUALLY "SAVES" MONEY, HOWEVER... (READ ON!)

It is only because the CBO must ignore the expiration date of these programs and assume their continuation into eternity - including the Obama food stamp expansions - that the bill can be judged to “save” $35 billion.

This is really just Washington-speak for spending 3.5% less than "expected" ($957 billion instead of $992 billion) - it’s not a cut. [Again...] the bill includes policies that over ten years will cost 63% more than the previous authorization.

80% of H.R. 6083’s spending is comprised of food stamp spending. This is because there are now 46 million individuals on food stamps, compared with 30 million in 2008 and 17 million in 2000.

The reduction in the rate of growth to the food stamp program contemplated by the bill equals just $16 billion - or 2% - not the sort of reforms that will lead to rolling back the food stamp program.

THE LAST THING THE DEMOCRATS WANT IS TO ROLL BACK THE FOOD STAMP PROGRAM. INDEED, FOLKS... DEMOCRATS AT BOTH THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVELS HAVE BEEN LITERALLY "MARKETING" THE PROGRAM - USING TV ADS, RADIO ADS, POSTERS IN SUPERMARKETS TO ENTICE AMERICANS TO "TAKE ADVANTAGE" OF THIS "BENEFIT."

The bill does eliminate wasteful direct payments to farmers...

DON'T GET EXCITED YET, FOLKS! IT'S A SCAM! (READ ON!)

...but it then plows much of the “savings” back into three new “shallow loss” entitlement programs that will actually serve to guarantee the profits for a larger number of farmers than currently benefit from direct payments.

In addition, the bill sets new price floors for commodities (in most cases, higher than average recent prices) and expands crop insurance subsidies.

FOLKS... SHORT OF VIOLENCE... SHORT OF REVOLUTION... HOW DO WE STOP THE SCUM OF BOTH PARTIES FROM JAMMING THIS DOWN OUR THROATS?

(*PURSED LIPS*)

HERE'S ANOTHER TACTIC SUPPORTERS OF THIS MONUMENTAL INCOME TRANSFER SCAM WILL THROW OUT: THEY'LL THROW OUT THE FALSE CLAIM THAT PASSING THIS BILL IS "NECESSARY" IN ORDER TO PROVIDE DROUGHT RELIEF. THIS ISN'T TRUE!

The House has already passed a separate piece of legislation - the Agriculture Disaster Assistance Act, H.R. 6233 - to provide $383 million in emergency assistance to farmers, ranchers, and orchardists. The Senate refuses to act on the measure in order to put artificial political pressure to pass a massive farm bill.

Heritage opposed this drought assistance, but regardless of a Congressman’s support for such assistance, it should have no bearing on whether they support a separate, long-term farm bill.

Note: Some congressional offices, in an effort to confuse the issues, have noted that there is no food stamp spending in this separate drought package. That is true, but it confirms that the future of the drought package is not tied to passage of a multi-year farm bill!

BASTARDS!

[The question is:] Should the federal government be providing $323 million in drought assistance?

[The answer is:] No.

Proponents of the bill cite the drought’s impact on livestock and the absence of livestock-specific disaster programs as the principle reason for the aid package. However, the livestock-specific disaster programs expired in 2011, meaning ranchers knew that they had to plan for possible disasters, including drought.

(*PURSED LIPS*)

The Washington Post explained that “farmers should have to hedge as other businesses do: by diversifying their product lines, purchasing insurance at market rates, leveraging assets or maintaining cash reserves.”

Because livestock producers did not take preventative action, they are now clamoring for a bailout.

The bill also goes well beyond drought-inflicted livestock losses, by offering “subsidies to ranchers for livestock killed by raptors and wolves (along with hurricanes, floods, blizzards, disease, and extreme cold).” It also includes wildfires. The “drought” bill also covers trees, defined as “a tree, bush, and vine”, impacted by late-season freezes and insect infestations.

JEEZUS...

U.S. agriculture is thriving.

Net farm income hit a record $98 billion last year and is expected to reach $122.2 billion in 2012.

The top five earnings years in the last three decades have all occurred since 2004!

With a healthy agriculture sector and a spiraling federal debt, now is the time to reform and eliminate commodity subsidies that cost taxpayers and distort the market.

AMEN! (AND PASS THE AMMUNITION!)