Today,
GOP leadership suffered a stunning defeat as 62
Republicans voted against the 5-year farm bill (H.R. 1947), which locks
in the record baseline of food stamp spending and creates multiple new
agriculture subsidy programs. A handful of them voted against it because it cut
too
much spending, and others like Bill Shuster voted no because they
are facing potential primary challenges (Shuster voted for the 2008
bill). But this is a strong showing, as it is a dynamic none of us would
have ever predicted several years ago.
Some
Republicans are complaining that because of the conservative revolt we will now
continue on the status quo with direct farm subsidies. But they fail to
understand that the new price support programs and shallow loss coverage that
were created by this bill would have been more
expensive and represent worse market distortions than direct subsidies.
It’s better to reauthorize the status quo than to pass a long-term bill that
creates even more problems and precludes real reforms for another 5 years…..But instead of avoiding the deleterious effects of the Agriculture Act of 1949 by growing government, why don’t we just repeal the dang law? In a sane world, both houses of Congress would convene and repeal this inane and outdated law within a few minutes by unanimous consent. That way we could debate a long-term farm bill without having the sword of the 1949 law brandished over our necks and forcing Congress to rush through bad legislation.......ToRead More…
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