The Incredible Raisin Heist

WSJ ^ | 4/20/2015 | N/A

[zeugma]

The oral arguments were just posted at the supreme Court. here

[jonno]

Thank you!

[jonno]

That worked - thanks!

[jonno]

MR. KNEEDLER (Govt): Because this is a comprehensive governmental program, and and it it governs quality, it governs timing of sales, and it's important to recognize that's all that is going on here. The reserve raisins are set aside by the handler. After the producer has voluntarily turned them over, they're set aside by the handler for later sale.

It's like a scene out of Atlas Shrugged...

[clearcarbon]

"Just sour grapes."

[Western Phil]

The government screw-ups in the area of wheat production go back at least a hundred years. When the Sioux Indians were reservationed they were to become farmers and were issued a cow. Instead they became cowboys and by the WW1 were making reasonable lives running the cattle on the reservation land. The government decided more wheat was needed and convinced the Indians to lease their land for wheat production. The cows were sold & the neighboring white man farmers planted much wheat. Soon the war was over and there was a vast excess of wheat production and the reservation wheat production ceased. The Indian’s cows were gone as was the grass for grazing.

[vette6387]

Screw the WSJ!!

Here’s a link that’s very comprehensive! What is happening to these farmers is a national disgrace.

http://www.inquisitr.com/1105608/raisin-growers-file-lawsuit-against-usda/

And I am betting we have dozens of “Ag Boards” diddling this commodity or that, pocketing “ the gains” and not paying back the farmers.

[jonno]

Agreed. I’m somewhat hopeful after reading the transcript (below); even the liberal (SCotUS) justices did not seem to totally buy the govt lawyers argument.

The crux of the issue as I understood it is whether or not the govt is “taking” the raisins. The Govt contends that they are not taking the raisins (which they appear to concede that if they were, would require compensation), rather they are merely acting on behalf of a board - of which the majority of the growers are in favor.

I found the oral arguments a compelling read:
http://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/14-275_3e04.pdf

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

That was one of the things they spent the money on.