Republican Contradiction

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Drought Nation Heads for Dry Federal Well

FROMMA HARROP


As three-digit temps broil the sidewalks through late afternoon, one walks alone in this charming Nebraska panhandle city. These days, Chadron seems more pan than handle. The only thing breaking the silence is the nearly daily siren summoning local firefighters to a conflagration in the grass and brush countryside. Its source is usually easy to locate. Smoke clouds stand out in the big sky.

As severe drought helps unleash fires in large parts of the vast and beautiful High Plains, its rural economy looks to Washington for help. Despite their claims of self-reliance, many inhabitants here and elsewhere in the agricultural heartland have little love for the free market. Now they are trying to drink at a federal well that has itself been drained by a weak economy and tax cuts. One can understand why the five-year farm bill will probably go nowhere until after the election.

Please only post the first few paragraphs of an article, to post an entire article breaks the copyright rule of the board. Newby
 
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Farm subsidies are not a "Republican" initiative. They are a "politician" initiative, favored by very few among the general public.

Global warming would not be responsible for drought. Higher temperatures cause greater rates of evaporation from the oceans (and other surface sources), thus producing clouds & rain. Warming effect is, if you will pardon the expression, a "wash."

For every geographical area on earth right now that is experiencing drought, there are equal areas that are experiencing greater than normal rainfall, but it is not reported because it does not promote the Liberal story line. We have had rain or threat of rain in Pittsburgh every day for the past month. London was worrying about the weather for the Olympics, as it has been the coldest and wettest spring in over 200 years.

Go figure.
 
Drought Nation Heads for Dry Federal Well

FROMMA HARROP


As three-digit temps broil the sidewalks through late afternoon, one walks alone in this charming Nebraska panhandle city. These days, Chadron seems more pan than handle. The only thing breaking the silence is the nearly daily siren summoning local firefighters to a conflagration in the grass and brush countryside. Its source is usually easy to locate. Smoke clouds stand out in the big sky.

As severe drought helps unleash fires in large parts of the vast and beautiful High Plains, its rural economy looks to Washington for help. Despite their claims of self-reliance, many inhabitants here and elsewhere in the agricultural heartland have little love for the free market. Now they are trying to drink at a federal well that has itself been drained by a weak economy and tax cuts. One can understand why the five-year farm bill will probably go nowhere until after the election.

In truth, the farm subsidy programs were controversial even in the flush days. Farmers who otherwise embraced conservative small-government politics were pained by or ignored the contradiction of their dependence on taxpayers.

And taxpayers have been well tapped. They cover on average 62 percent of the farmers' insurance premiums. In tough years, when payouts explode, the taxpayers, not the insurance companies, bear the brunt of the costs, notes Iowa State University economist Bruce Babcock.


The most beloved subsidies are the "revenue protection" policies tying payments to the harvest price of the crop rather than the price it was insured at. Because the drought has driven prices higher, farmers may do better than they would have with adequate rain. Thus, corn growers with access to groundwater enjoy high crop prices. Competitors looking to the skies for water lose their crops but not money, thanks to Washington.


There are no losers here.

Politicians supporting such policies hearken to the struggling family farm, but when it comes to farm policy, a few things should be noted. Only 38 percent of American farms receive subsidies, mainly those growing grains and cotton. California's famous fruit and vegetable empire, for example, gets relatively little help from Washington. But the state's cotton and rice growers, while accounting for less than 3 percent of the agricultural output, reap 44 percent of its federal crop subsidies, according to the Environmental Working Group.

It is commonly known that these subsidized farms are getting bigger, and the biggest taxpayer subsidies go to the richest few. Hundreds of subsidy checks go to absentee landowners in New York City. Members of Congress personally collected $6.1 million from 1995 to 2011.

Both the House and Senate agree on ending direct cash payments to farmers, at a savings of $5 billion. But some in Congress want to replace it with insurance programs that make the old spending look shabby by comparison. Notably outrageous is the Lucas-Peterson bill, named for Reps. Frank Lucas, R-Okla., and Collin Peterson, D-Minn. It would expand crop insurance subsidies by another $9 billion. Labeling it a "Soviet-style" proposal, House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, swept it aside.

Ideological differences among Republicans are apparently holding up the legislation, and that is a good thing. Reforms will be easier to make after the election. Babcock thinks they can save $42 billion over 10 years.

One other thought for policymakers. Drought is no foreigner to America's midsection. Conditions were reportedly worse in the 1950s and, of course, the Dust Bowl years of the '30s. But this one is up there, and if climate change is as real as it looks, things will get worse, as higher temperatures evaporate more of what water there is. How long can water-deprived regions rely on a federal well that is itself running dry?

...and just WHY is the federal well running dry?

Here's a partial list of "dry wells" sponsored by Barack H. Obama. His list is juxtaposed alongside a list of successful ventures aided by Bain Capital.

mail


Obama can apologize to the farmers saying, "I'm sorry. I had to spend your money paying back the people that contributed to my campaign. Rather than just give them the money, we guaranteed their loans even though they were sure to go bankrupt. They lose, you lose, I win!
 
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And you think all conservatives or republicans like farm subsidies and the like??

:rolleyes:

Farm subsidies is just nicely put "republican welfare" Without it, the GOP would lose their entire base of the rural hick vote.

Except for the many MANY conservatives and REPs who are against any type of welfare or subsidy...

Nice try though, troll

Oh... and I guess you would also say that you know the DEMs would lose their welfare base without their ever increasing handouts
 
"There are no losers here." That's how you know the government fucked the system up
 
And you think all conservatives or republicans like farm subsidies and the like??

:rolleyes:

Farm subsidies is just nicely put "republican welfare" Without it, the GOP would lose their entire base of the rural hick vote.

Except for the many MANY conservatives and REPs who are against any type of welfare or subsidy...

Nice try though, troll

Oh... and I guess you would also say that you know the DEMs would lose their welfare base without their ever increasing handouts

Like Bachmann that also takes farm subsidies?
 
Farm subsidies is just nicely put "republican welfare" Without it, the GOP would lose their entire base of the rural hick vote.

Except for the many MANY conservatives and REPs who are against any type of welfare or subsidy...

Nice try though, troll

Oh... and I guess you would also say that you know the DEMs would lose their welfare base without their ever increasing handouts

Like Bachmann that also takes farm subsidies?

And every REP or conservatives like or aligns 100% with Bachman...???

Keep digging troll
 
Except for the many MANY conservatives and REPs who are against any type of welfare or subsidy...

Nice try though, troll

Oh... and I guess you would also say that you know the DEMs would lose their welfare base without their ever increasing handouts

Like Bachmann that also takes farm subsidies?

And every REP or conservatives like or aligns 100% with Bachman...???

Keep digging troll

I've never heard of any kind of attempt to cut farm subsidies proposed from the GOP.
Unless you can name an instance where they have,...
 
Like Bachmann that also takes farm subsidies?

And every REP or conservatives like or aligns 100% with Bachman...???

Keep digging troll

I've never heard of any kind of attempt to cut farm subsidies proposed from the GOP.
Unless you can name an instance where they have,...

yet you have heard NUMEROUS conservatives on here speaking against them and looking for a candidate who stands the same way


Keep trying with your lump assessment, troll
 
"There are no losers here." That's how you know the government fucked the system up

Psst. The government passed this legislation for big Republican spenders like Monsanto and Cargill, not to help farmers. Most farmers struggle to get by because big agra manipulates the pricing... aka farmers do not get fair prices for their grain.

Top 10 Things You Should Know About The Farm Bill | Environmental Working Group

Are organic, small and medium farms whose practices actually LIMIT drought issues included in the subsidies? You know, those farms who would actually be able to expand with subsidies? Hell fucking no... only the giant monoculture farms that already make BILLIONS a year. Like the oil industry... hmmm.
 
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And every REP or conservatives like or aligns 100% with Bachman...???

Keep digging troll

I've never heard of any kind of attempt to cut farm subsidies proposed from the GOP.
Unless you can name an instance where they have,...

yet you have heard NUMEROUS conservatives on here speaking against them and looking for a candidate who stands the same way


Keep trying with your lump assessment, troll

I've never heard any conservatives on this forum proposing to go after farm subsidies, and since you can't provide any links that the GOP politicians have either, it again confirms my previous statement.
 
"There are no losers here." That's how you know the government fucked the system up

Psst. The government passed this legislation for big Republican spenders like Monsanto and Cargill, not to help farmers. Most farmers struggle to get by because big agra manipulates the pricing... aka farmers do not get fair prices for their grain.

Top 10 Things You Should Know About The Farm Bill | Environmental Working Group

Are organic, small and medium farms whose practices actually LIMIT drought issues included in the subsidies? You know, those farms who would actually be able to expand with subsidies? Hell fucking no... only the giant monoculture farms that already make BILLIONS a year. Like the oil industry... hmmm.

Exactly. It's just another GOP scam to bankroll the huge companies while throwing a couple crumbs to the mom and pop's to make it seem like the GOP thugs actually give a damn about the little guys.
 
I've never heard of any kind of attempt to cut farm subsidies proposed from the GOP.
Unless you can name an instance where they have,...

yet you have heard NUMEROUS conservatives on here speaking against them and looking for a candidate who stands the same way


Keep trying with your lump assessment, troll

I've never heard any conservatives on this forum proposing to go after farm subsidies, and since you can't provide any links that the GOP politicians have either, it again confirms my previous statement.

1) Bullshit.. you have tons on here calling for the ending of all entitlements, subsidies, and welfare on ALL sides....
2) Dem, GOP senators want to weed $23.6 billion in antiquated payments to farmers - CNN even a bi-partisan one for you

Now shut the fuck up troll... you're a fucking liar and an idiot.. no way to go thru life
 

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