Farm Subsidies Farm Welfare is really just voter bribery by Congress
WaPo has an excellant expose on Farm Disaster Aid or the Drought Aid bill from 2002. This is nothing more than porkbarreling by Congress. By 2003 anyone with farmland practically could get taxpayer dollars for no reason. To be fair to many of the farmers mentioned in this piece, the farmers weren’t looking for government aid and in many cases the farmers didn’t apply for the aid. A check from the government showed up in the mail.
I think I need to rethink my rural status. Afterall, I have 7.2 acres. I should be able to qualify for some sort of aid. My creek bed dries up each summer by July and my poor little goats (well, they’re really my neighbors goats) are always trying to escape the fences for greener pastures. In fact they do escape almost daily and can be seen grazing alongside the road. But with the disaster farm program you don’t have to “prove” what animals you actually have so what the hell?
People always complain about corporate welfare and people welfare but often forget about the farm welfare which is extensive. Here’s an idea: how about our Legislators eliminate ALL WELFARE and that includes ALL FOREIGN AID (I would qualify not to include the current countries the USA is helping to establish free and democratic governments).
Sam Donaldson can tell you how to get a subsidy for raising sheep. When confronted with the fact of doing so, “poor” Sam whined that he wasn’t doing anything illegal. The GOP would do well to put a stop to much so-called “corporate welfare.” But don’t hold your breath waiting for it to happen.
Comment by Bachbone — July 18, 2006 @ 3:58 pm
while spending some time in the VA Hospital in Temple, TX. I did an internet search for farm aid in Bell County, I’f memory serves me, there were something like 1400 listed with the amount of aid they received. Many said farms were little more then vacant lots own’d by the city/county big wigs, and never had been used as farm land.
Comment by Wm H — July 19, 2006 @ 11:45 am