Posted on 07/19/2011 6:50:09 AM PDT by Freemarkets101
After touring flood plains along the Missouri river, Michele Bachmann and Republican Steve King of Iowa sprung the issue of multi-billion dollar settlements to black farmers, during a news conference on Monday.
These black farmers who have received billions of dollars claim they were discriminated against for decades in loans and other aid. In response to a question regarding farmers affected by the flooding, who could possibly lose funding from the Department of Agriculture:
The two responded by criticizing a 1999 settlement in what is known as the Pigford case, after the original plaintiff, North Carolina farmer Timothy Pigford. Late last year, President Barack Obama signed legislation authorizing a new, nearly $1.2 billion settlement for people who were denied payments in the earlier one because they missed deadlines for filing.
King has likened the Pigford settlement to "modern-day reparations" for African-Americans. He said Monday a large percentage of the settlement "was just paid out in fraudulent claims" and criticized the Obama administration's plan to resolve separate lawsuits filed by Hispanic and female farmers.
"That's another at least $1.3 billion," King said "I'd like to apply that money to the people that are under water right now."
Bachmann seconded King's criticism, saying, "When money is diverted to inefficient projects, like the Pigford project, where there seems to be proof-positive of fraud, we can't afford $2 billion in potentially fraudulent claims when that money can be used to benefit the people along the Mississippi River and the Missouri River."
As the federal debt continues to pile up, Republicans must identify and abolish these government cesspool programs, despite their unpopular disposition. Indeed, receding "reparations" to black farmers may not exactly be voter-friendly. I mean, they just hit two demographics: farmers and blacks.
But this is not about discrimination. It's about bureaucrats buying votes, select groups receiving lavish benefits, and state and federal deficits skyrocketing.
It simply has to end.
This is very gutsy of King and Bachman and makes me like them even more! Few pubbies have the intestinal fortitude for this.
Agreed. This isn’t the kind of issue republicans usually have the courage speak out on during a campaign.
Yes ,I like this,The truth needs to come out and the Pandering needs to stop.
agreed. this is a very courageous stand by Bachmann,
as a candidate. i admire her for this.
...the original Pigford case had a point about discrimination.
but when Obama expanded it, it eventually gave money to MORE black farmers, than existed in the entire USA!
blatant massive fraud.
(and Obama now wants to do the same for “huge numbers” of Hispanic and Women farmers who were discriminated against.)
We ben farmin hear done sence 1797 n we don need no revenooer money comin in here
Allen West voted to keep the Pigford fraud cash flowing, and tried to explain it away as a careless mistake..he knew exactly what he was doing.
Wasn’t Obama a lawyer in that Pigford case early on? Seems I read about it on FR.
I recall the same and tried to search for it on FR several weeks ago. Found nothing, but I remember it as well.
Link on that?
I’m really disappointed to hear that. Pigford is so ridiculous on many levels.
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