Not again. . .Now the Farm Bill- "We must pass this bill!"

[Gaspar]

The White House says it's "Critical" to pass this bill.  For the sheeple, they call it "The Farm Bill" (a piece of legislation that the congress usually takes up every 5 years for agriculture, conservation and forestry programs) but the real name is "The Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012."  Doesn't really matter, because both names have very little to do with this bill.  It's unlike any "Farm Bill" passed by other administrations.

The CBO has estimated it's cost at $969 billion.  Yup, another trillion dollars from you, the taxpayer.  But hey! That's to help out farmers, right?

73% of the spending in the bill is for FOOD STAMPS and fabulous new entitlement programs.  The remainder of the bill diverts money directly to your favorite special interest, you guessed it, big insurance companies for the marketing of crop insurance, and a tiny fraction goes to direct farm subsidies and agriculture programs.  I believe the President and the Senate have outdone themselves with this one.

You can have a good read here http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/z?c112:S.3240:

So basically, here's how it works under this administration:
You take a piece of legislation, in this case a 1009 page FOOD STAMPS bill, and you name it after the smallest amount of spending in the bill, in this case "Agriculture", then you add the word "Reform" (because that makes it look like you are fixing somthing), make a cursory mention of what the bill is actually for "Food" (but don't say stamps!), and then of course you have to add "and Jobs Act" to everything (so you can blame anyone who blocks it, for your own track record of failure).  What you get is "The Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act of 2012"  Of course that doesn't roll off the tongue, but lucky you, it's time again to pass a "Farm Bill."  Awsome! You can call your new FOOD STAMPS BILL "The Farm Bill."  

Now, you have to treat it as if not passing your nearly $1 Trillion dollar FOOD STAMPS spending bill is going to somehow end the farming industry in the united states and everyone starves.  Don't worry, your special interest buddies at the big insurance companies will help you market it if you pay them a few billion. OK, your pile is ready to serve!  Please use plenty of napkins.

[erfalf]

A friend that worked in the grocery business for some time tells me all the time how much he can't stand food stamps and how rought with fraud they were. He insisted that they be done away with and WIC be expanded in its place. As far as I know, the USDA administers this program as well, so how about it. Dump food stamps for WIC?

[erfalf]

And in regards to the actual farming part of the farm bill. From my experience, the majority of the "subsidies" for farmers consist of loans to new farmers, or for taking up no-till practices in order to purchase new different equipment. They also do pay farmers to keep some land out of production, but it's really not that much, much less than the production a farmer would get off a reasonable crop. They also off insurance products which I think may be discounted, but like any insurance, the more you collect, the higher your premium is.

I'm sure it is a bunch of money, but it is certainly not making any small farmer rich, that is for sure. I couldn't tell you about the big guys.

[Gaspar]

A friend that worked in the grocery business for some time tells me all the time how much he can't stand food stamps and how rought with fraud they were. He insisted that they be done away with and WIC be expanded in its place. As far as I know, the USDA administers this program as well, so how about it. Dump food stamps for WIC?

When I lived in St. Louis some of the little bodegas got all of their stock items by trading for liquor. They did it quite openly too, even having lists printed and stacked at the counter for items and quantities you could trade for Pints, Fifths, beer and wine.  The idea was that you take a list and next time you are at Schnuck's you fill your cart based on what you would like to trade.  

[heironymouspasparagus]

Food stamps came about because of Safeway and Homeland.

We should go back to the 'commodities' program.  Good food for those in need and 5% the cost of this mess.

[Gaspar]

Food stamps came about because of Safeway and Homeland.

Huh?

[guido911]

Mmmmm. Dinner. Oops. Wrong thread.

[Conan71]

"One pile with plenty of sleaze, please!!"

Where's all your detractors, Gas?  Did they all sleep in today?

[Gaspar]

"One pile with plenty of sleaze, please!!"

Where's all your detractors, Gas?  Did they all sleep in today?

They have to find out what Kos and Thinkprogress have to say about it first.  But. . .I guarantee they will softball it because I suspect the administration has instructed them to do so, otherwise the debate would open up the subject of half a trillion dollars in FOOD STAMPS and the President has already been hurt by being labeled the "Food Stamps President."  I suspect if they do make any criticism of the legislation it will be on the substance that it is paying billions directly to insurance companies rather than to the farmers who typically recieve aid.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Huh?

Your original post was going on about how food stamps were the largest component of this bill.  I was just putting in a little historical note that food stamps came about as a replacement for the food commodities program due to the efforts of Safeway and A & P.  The two big 800 lb gorillas in the grocery room at the time.  They lobbied Congress to eliminate commodities as previously practiced (mid 60's) because it was "embarrassing" for people to have to go to a facility and be seen by other people picking up groceries.  Never mind the fact that is was good food, a very cost effective program, and made buying cigarettes and beer with food stamps much more difficult.

Not to mention the fact that it meant these people weren't putting money into their pockets.  

Food stamps were originally done in the 30's, then shut down for a while.  A food surplus distribution - "commodities" - program was used for about 20 years, then the big groceries got the government to make it easier to get their piece of the pie.  I never got the early stamps, did get commodities a little bit, but most recently could not qualify for food stamps - no income, no cash, no unemployment, but still too rich.  $800 per month mortgage that can't be paid makes one too rich in this country at that time....I hear it has changed now.  Don't wanna find out.

[Townsend]

Where's all your detractors, Gas?  Did they all sleep in today?

One of two reasons I'd imagine.

1. Many people stopped reading his posts.
2. Everyone else got tired of looking up reasons why they stopped reading his posts.

I didn't read anything until I got to your post.

[Conan71]

One of two reasons I'd imagine.

1. Many people stopped reading his posts.
2. Everyone else got tired of looking up reasons why they stopped reading his posts.

I didn't read anything until I got to your post.

You should have read the source post.  I don't care if someone is D, R, I, or any other political stripe, this is one which should piss them off.

[Hoss]

You should have read the source post.  I don't care if someone is D, R, I, or any other political stripe, this is one which should piss them off.

Then the OP should stop crying wolf so much.  And cite sources more.

[Gaspar]

You should have read the source post.  I don't care if someone is D, R, I, or any other political stripe, this is one which should piss them off.

I think some are not actually D, R, or I.  I think some are just O.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Farm bill is no problem at all.

Big Brother Drone Monitoring and Reporting, Inc. is the problem.

http://news.yahoo.com/talk-drones-patrolling-us-skies-spawns-anxiety-063727667--finance.html