Farm bill follies: 80% of $955B for funding of food stamps

The Washington Times ^ | 6 Jun 13 | Cheryl K. Chumley

[SkyPilot]

Almost 80 percent of the Senate’s proposed farm bill — a $955 billion measure — will be used to pay for food stamps in the coming decade.

“The trillion-dollar farm and food stamp bill should not be called the ‘Farm Bill,” said Heritage Action for America CEO Michael Needham, to Breitbart. “Washington doesn’t want Americans to know that 80 percent of the spending in the bill goes to fund Obama’s big-government, food stamp agenda.”

As for the remaining 20 percent?

That goes for price supports for farmers — an “equally disturbing” federal disbursement, Mr. Needham said, in the Breitbart report.

“The appalling truth is that many people are paid to grow nothing,” he said, Breitbart reported. “The main recipients of the subsidies in the bill are the rich and famous, including families of current members of Congress and the USDA secretary Tom Vilsack. Big farmers with record high incomes, record low debt and vastly improved farm technology are getting your taxpayer money.”

The farm bill has been a pet peeve of core conservatives for years. Some say the entire bill is a violation of Republican promises to end “logrolling,” Breitbart said. That’s when unpopular pieces of legislation are tacked on to bills that are crucial and will likely pass.

The House version of the farm bill isn’t much better, in terms of trimming costs for non-farm related activities. It’s proposed at $940 billion over 10 years – and includes an outrageous new tax, on rocks...

[SkyPilot]

The Sequester does not touch Entitlements, they are exempt.

The military, on the other hand, has seen a 40-50% reduction in its Operations and Maintenance budget because it is "paying" for 50 cents on every dollar the Sequester demands.

We have a record 1 in 5 households (48,000,000 people) getting these "free" cards, another record 71,000,000 on Medicare (another record high), and over 11,000,000 on Social Security Disability (another record).

Meanwhile, the Dept of Defense is furloughing its nurses, engineers, and maintainers with a 20% pay cut (even if they are a disabled combat veteran or recieved the Purple Heart). Hagel did exempt 500 DoD Sexual Assault Prevention workers from furlough, if that makes everyone feel better.

11 Air Force combat wings are non-mission ready because its pilots don't have fuel to train. The other services are steadily hollowing out their forces due to the way the Sequester cuts were demanded by the 2011 Obama/Congressional Budget Control Act deal.

The Food Stamp crowd is KILLING this nation. Entitlements are breaking the nation's back and sapping our national will. The restaurant and food service industry lobbies are spending tens of millions on K Street in Washington DC to ensure their EBT gravy train continues.

Our nation is dying.

[SkyPilot]

Correction - the record high enrollment is for Medicaid.

A new government report shows a record 72,600,000 enrolled in Medicaid for at least one month in fiscal year 2012, up 23 percent from fiscal year 2008.

[SilverMine]

Almost 80 percent of the Senate’s proposed farm bill — a $955 billion measure — will be used to pay for food stamps in the coming decade.

Save-A-Lot is going to make a lot of money.

[Gritty]

Gotta keep those re-election cards filled, right? Isn't that $750 billion more money than the entire military budget, less the Afghanistan deployment?

This country is going down the toilet. EBT is killing us.

[SkyPilot]

Save-A-Lot is going to make a lot of money.

From two years ago:

Fast Food Chains Lobby States for Food Stamp Allowances From last summer:

FreshDirect Lobbies Congress for Ability to Accept Food Stamps

FreshDirect, the online grocery service that offers next-day delivery on your bounty of veggies (and cookies), has become so ubiquitous in New York that some apartment buildings advertise “FreshDirect storage” as a lust-worthy amenity. For the torturously busy (or–okay–the lazy), FreshDirect is a godsend, delivering produce, toiletries–even beer!–with the click of a button. But in recent months, FreshDirect has seen its own share of scorn over some pretty serious issues. Though slated to relocate its Long Island City warehouse facility to the South Bronx, FreshDirect only began delivering to residents there back in May. And in February, aggrieved South Bronx residents launched a petition protesting the relocation, listing a history of discriminatory and unfair labor practices, as well as the fact that the company does not accept food stamps.

[SilverMine]

Get rid of food stamps and welfare and the illegal immigrant problem goes away too. Even inner city law about will work when their kids start screaming and then start to comatose over a lack of food.

[ThomasMore]

My daughter, as a single mother (abusive ex husband), raised her children WITHOUT food stamps or any other government help. First off she was the wrong color to get food stamps. Secondly, she had a work ethic. “He who does not work, should not eat”. My wife and I would help her out occasionally, but she worked hard and did it on her own.

80% or more of these folks on food stamps can physically and mentally work. They are either too lazy or just too use to thriving on the government tit.

[Beowulf9]

Yet the Farm Bill, HR1947 was written and sponsored by a Republican, Frank Lucas. Supposedly Lucas is an ardent conservative.

[SkyPilot]

The Republicans are gutless. Of course they rolled over on Food Stamps, and all other Entitlements. The Budget Control Act of 2011 exempted Entitlements, but inordinately punished our military, who have sacrificed more than 99% of all Americans. The Republicans have become the “me too” defenders of the welfare state.

[SkyPilot]

My prayers and compliments to your daughter’s courage. Obviously, you are a good parent.

[Beowulf9]

It's pretty frustrating. http://hotair.com/archives/2013/06/10/senate-poised-to-pass-that-terrible-farm-bill-along-to-the-house/

[narses]

+

Freep-mail me to get on or off my pro-life and Catholic List:

Add me / Remove me

Please ping me to note-worthy Pro-Life or Catholic threads, or other threads of general interest.

[dalereed]

Elimimate welfare and food stamps and make every earn their own way in this world!

[SkyPilot]

My father would describe to me the bread lines and shanty towns during the Depression. Those are masked today by EBT cards and Section 8 vouchers, along with 78 other give away programs.

[TurboZamboni]

“Farm bill” is welfare
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Q11BHLFMHs&feature=youtu.be