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A Harvest of Pork By backing the farm bill, President Bush sells out his principles.
Wall Street Journal ^ | May 8, 2002 | PETE DU PONT

Posted on 05/08/2002 7:56:22 AM PDT by joefergeson

Edited on 04/23/2004 12:04:26 AM PDT by Jim Robinson. [history]

How to say it: Your columnist is a hopeless idealist? A naive optimist? Perhaps both, for I wrote a piece in this space last September praising the Bush administration for its effort to return U.S. agricultural policy to, in the president's words, a "market-driven approach." Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman had issued an excellent report that questioned the fundamental concept of farm subsidies. It examined the impact of subsidies and concluded that "government intervention distorts markets and resource allocation, produces unintended consequences, and spreads benefits unevenly. We cannot afford to keep relearning the lessons of the past."


(Excerpt) Read more at opinionjournal.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy
KEYWORDS: bush; farm; subsidy
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When the Wall Street Journal editorial page starts bashing Bush, I begin to get worried. What's up with this adminstration?
1 posted on 05/08/2002 7:56:22 AM PDT by joefergeson
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To: joefergeson
What's up with this adminstration?

Empty Suit Syndrome: but don't worry, Jimmy Carter proved we don't actually need a President....

2 posted on 05/08/2002 8:03:10 AM PDT by Grut
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Comment #3 Removed by Moderator

To: joefergeson
Mohair subsidies?!?!?. What a joke. Curly and Larry are ones who needed the hair.
4 posted on 05/08/2002 8:08:21 AM PDT by Wolfie
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To: smidge
I suspect they are worried about the upcoming mid-term elections.

Right. As soon as those are over, they can return to their principles. Except of course, the Presidential elections will be coming up, so they better hold off. But after that, full-tilt-boogie fiscal conservatism for sure. Only, they won't want to the lose the White House, so they better hold off. Sometime around the 5th of Never should be a good time to finally cut out all the wasteful spending.

5 posted on 05/08/2002 8:11:37 AM PDT by Wolfie
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To: joefergeson
The market mirage has evaporated, and with the enthusiastic support of the Bush administration, House and Senate conferees have agreed on a nearly 80% increase ($83 billion) in farm subsidies over the next decade.

Is it "Bush bashing" to say that even as he has done some good things,it is necessary to point out things he does that are hardly conservative? If we, as conservatives support, ignore, or make rationalizations for actions which are antithetical to conservative ideas, how can we ever expect to have conservative progress?

We cannot, IMO.

The farm bill, the educational bill, the proposal to increase paid volunteerism, are not conservative.

Can the Bushophiles agree to that, even while supporting him, or will they make excuses for his actions in a Clintonista manner?

6 posted on 05/08/2002 8:13:39 AM PDT by RJCogburn
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To: smidge
>> I suspect they are worried about the upcoming mid-term elections. Campaign Finance Reform, Steel Tarifs, and now this. What good is it re-electing these turncoats?
7 posted on 05/08/2002 8:13:57 AM PDT by joefergeson
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Comment #8 Removed by Moderator

To: Grut
--and Clinton proved we could be better off without one--
9 posted on 05/08/2002 8:35:46 AM PDT by rellimpank
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To: smidge
Well, democracy is over-rated. I think it was Mencken who first said that democracy is 2 wolves and a sheep voting on what to eat for lunch. I am so disgusted with Bush's profligate spending, that I'm going to vote Libertarian next time. Better to have a Dem in office than a fake Republican.
10 posted on 05/08/2002 8:37:36 AM PDT by Pining_4_TX
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To: Wolfie
Exactly! You can say you're conservative till the cows come home, but if all you do is advance the liberal agenda in order to keep your poll numbers up then you're no better than any liberal.
11 posted on 05/08/2002 8:38:00 AM PDT by oldvike
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To: RJCogburn
selling out........again
12 posted on 05/08/2002 8:38:37 AM PDT by chemainus
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To: joefergeson
By backing the (fill in the blank) bill, President Bush sells out his principles.

And what else is new? Klintoon's suspected of "not being fully truthful?"

Bush apparently HAS NO PRINCIPLES.

13 posted on 05/08/2002 8:47:00 AM PDT by jimt
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To: rellimpank
LOL!
14 posted on 05/08/2002 8:48:07 AM PDT by Grut
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To: jimt
Bush apparently HAS NO PRINCIPLES.

Breaking his promise to veto CFR proved that

CARL ROVE HAS TO GO
15 posted on 05/08/2002 9:01:11 AM PDT by uncbob
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To: uncbob
His non-conservative agenda was apparant BEFORE the election. Hate to say I told you so. Better get your mindset outside of this "Two-Party Cartel". Bad thing is that he's going to get worse for conservatives.
16 posted on 05/08/2002 9:22:48 AM PDT by Digger
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To: joefergeson
Hey its only money...we'll print more.
17 posted on 05/08/2002 9:46:20 AM PDT by joesnuffy
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To: joefergeson
And to think, so many who used to criticize Clinton for being a marionette driven by focus groups and polls excuse Bush and his handlers for the very same thing.
18 posted on 05/08/2002 10:31:54 AM PDT by Jesse
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Comment #19 Removed by Moderator

To: oldvike
You can say you're conservative till the cows come home...

You will probably receive some farm subsidy money if you do say it.
I'm dissapointed in GW, on this and especially on the CFR trash legislation.

20 posted on 05/08/2002 10:50:01 AM PDT by Cuttnhorse
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