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"You're Going to Lose If You Keep This Up"
The Corner ^ | May 14, 2008 | Kathryn Jean Lopez

Posted on 05/15/2008 5:41:41 PM PDT by neverdem


Wednesday, May 14, 2008

"You're Going to Lose If You Keep This Up"   [Kathryn Jean Lopez]

As Sean Hannity issued the above warning to congressional Republicans today on his show, the House — including enough Republicans (100) to amass a veto-proof majority — passed the pork-laden farm bill.

We editorialized on the bill:

The program is nothing more than a massive income transfer from American taxpayers to a small handful of very large producers who grow just a few crops; the program can’t be serving the purposes its defenders claim it does — ensuring a stable food supply and keeping farmers out of poverty — considering that a majority of American farmers do just fine without government aid; and disputes over the large U.S. and EU farm-subsidy programs have opened an apparently unbridgeable divide between developed and developing countries in the current round of multilateral trade talks. The only conclusion one can reasonably draw is that the system is broken and ought to be scrapped.

Brian Riedl wrote earlier today elsewhere on NRO:

With food prices soaring, it takes some gall to force Americans to pay billions of dollars to millionaire agribusinesses. Yet that’s what the latest farm bill would do.
Since the last farm bill was enacted in 2002, the five crops that receive the lion’s share of farm subsidies have also enjoyed massive price hikes: cotton (105 percent price hike), soybeans (164 percent), corn (169 percent), wheat (256 percent), and rice (281 percent). For consumers, these price hikes have caused financial pain domestically and near-riots abroad. For farmers, it’s a sunnier story: Total net farm income has leaped 56 percent in just two years, and helped bring the average farm household’s income to a record $89,434, and its net worth to $838,875.

During this crop-price boom, continuing to subsidize farmers makes as much sense as paying Apple to make another generation of iPods.

Yet instead of cutting, Congress’s answer is to harvest even more farm subsidies. The latest version would increase payment rates for more than a dozen crops and increase conservation subsidies. Although the same farmers already receive massive annual subsidies, plus taxpayer-funded crop insurance, Congress would also layer a new permanent disaster aid program. Release of any disaster aid would require an emergency declaration, so expect Congress to declare an emergency any week that it rains — or doesn’t rain.

Farm subsidies have long been America’s largest corporate-welfare program. Rather than help small, struggling family farmers, the majority of subsidies go to commercial farmers, who report an average income of $200,000 and a net worth of nearly $2 million.

Republican leadership ought to crack down on Republicans who supported the bill. Will it? Unlikely.

Consider, for instance:

WASHINGTON — Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., netted tax breaks for the thoroughbred horse racing industry in the farm bill worth $126 million over the next 10 years, a provision that helped guarantee his support for the hotly debated bill.

The provision ensures that all racehorses are depreciated over three years for tax purposes, regardless of when the horses start training. The current tax code doesn't reflect the entire length of a horse's racing life, according to a National Thoroughbred Racing Association analysis of Jockey Club racing data.

"While many Americans identify the horse industry as one of Kentucky's signature industries, its economic impact extends well beyond the borders of the commonwealth," McConnell said.

Reidl says: " farm subsidies will continue costing taxpayers at least $25 billion annually." Yay! Thanks for the leadership!

Enjoy the roll.

UPDATE: Really do read the roll: Blunt ... Kingston ... Putnam ... What a crowd...



TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Editorial; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: 110th; farmbill; federalspending; gopcoup; kathrynjeanlopez; pork; rinorevolution
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To: Squantos

Re-elect no one ......vote em back too the curb !
Flush congress !”
_________________________
Bears repeating....I realized fully a few weeks ago that they DO NOT have our best interests in mind....they are concerned only with re-election and thier own interests.


21 posted on 05/15/2008 6:35:09 PM PDT by cowdog77 (Circle the Wagons)
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To: arderkrag

Well, how has the ‘Rat controlled Congress worked out so far? Want to see it times 1000?


22 posted on 05/15/2008 6:45:12 PM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
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To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
Given how deeply and unapologetically National Review has been into the tank for RINO Juan, these past few months: I just find this ironic as all kinds of hell, on a near-infinite number of levels. ;)

Fate has not been kind to the right with McRINO as the GOP nominee, but do you enjoy the prospect of losing in Iraq and Afghanistan with Clinton or Obama?

23 posted on 05/15/2008 6:49:26 PM PDT by neverdem (I'm praying for a Divine Intervention.)
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To: neverdem
do you enjoy the prospect of losing in Iraq and Afghanistan with Clinton or Obama?

Got a quote of mine to cite in support of that smarmy supposition? FR has a terrific "search" function, after all.

24 posted on 05/15/2008 6:51:16 PM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle (If McCain really CAN "win without conservatives," then why do you care if I vote for him or not?)
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To: neverdem

Guys..a lot of folks seem to think what’s happening to the GOP is suicide....I contend its homicide.

In my mind, I keep coming back to what happened to Tom Delay.....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1802383/posts

Washington is so jammed with parasites looking for a teat...that ANY organized opposition-IOW any Conservatives-will be run out of town . Period. This, folks, is a far BIGGER problem than just one with the Republican leadership.

Pay attention the the Farm Bill that just passed. Its not the average American Joe that is demanding handouts that’s driving the bus here.

Its any large organization that has the cash to buy a few K St. lobbyists to twist congess’ arm. The boys on Capitol Hill that are unresponsive to said arm twisting...well these organizations can afford to make sure they’re replaced in the next election cycle-and in fact, with what the new boys will send them legislatively will far more than make up for the cost of replacing a recalcitrant congresscritter. We American’s have a far bigger problem on our hands here than any of us could possibly imagine in our worst nightmare.


25 posted on 05/15/2008 6:52:00 PM PDT by mo
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To: neverdem

Republicrats.


26 posted on 05/15/2008 7:02:50 PM PDT by A Strict Constructionist (We have become an oligarchy not a Republic.)
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To: Blood of Tyrants
Once more, still marching the "lesser of two evils" line. You just don't get it, so I'll repeat:

The "vote for us so the other guy loses" strategy never works. Period. Unless you can come up with a better strategy, your party is campaigning itself into nonexistence.
27 posted on 05/15/2008 7:03:09 PM PDT by arderkrag (Libertarian Nutcase (Political Compass Coordinates: 9.00, -2.62 - www.politicalcompass.org))
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To: AprilfromTexas
You’re right. It’s the folks who stayed home during the last election due to displeasure with the RINOs and Bush policies that gave us the current democrat Congress...didn’t work out so well so far

Smackdown! By Independents & Moderates

Not if you find that link believable. Some libertarians also got even for the law that banned online gambling in the fall of 2006.

28 posted on 05/15/2008 7:06:58 PM PDT by neverdem (I'm praying for a Divine Intervention.)
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To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
Got a quote of mine to cite in support of that smarmy supposition?

No, I simply tried to draw the likely consequences from the alternative to McRINO, barring an Act of God, as POTUS. The last three donkey presidents have been disasters.

29 posted on 05/15/2008 7:18:52 PM PDT by neverdem (I'm praying for a Divine Intervention.)
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To: neverdem
Got a quote of mine to cite in support of that smarmy supposition?

No

Thought not.

Troll harder, next time.

30 posted on 05/15/2008 7:20:18 PM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle (If McCain really CAN "win without conservatives," then why do you care if I vote for him or not?)
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To: arderkrag

No, I am not. I am simply telling you the consequences of a sit and pout action.


31 posted on 05/16/2008 5:00:10 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
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To: arderkrag
...there are still some knuckleheads out there all but demanding that conservatives all vote for the moron moderate the Republican party has propped up as a better-than-the-other-guy candidate (which is always a losing strategy).

Absolutely. Anyone that tells you differently needs to look at the Schwarzenegger threads. California conservatives were pushed to vote for him because he was better than the other guy. Look how well that's worked out for them.

32 posted on 05/16/2008 5:07:03 AM PDT by Future Snake Eater (From "hooah!" to "meh..." in only three weeks' time...)
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To: Blood of Tyrants
Your “teach them a lesson” will get us a Rat president and a Rat Congress...

How is that our fault? The RNC and the Party in general are treating us like the Dems treat the blacks and Jews. The difference is we're not going to sit here and take it b/c "he's better than the other guy."

33 posted on 05/16/2008 5:09:38 AM PDT by Future Snake Eater (From "hooah!" to "meh..." in only three weeks' time...)
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To: Blood of Tyrants
The only lesson I see is that you are a pouting child willing to allow the Rats to screw the whole country over rather than to buck up and vote for McCain.

Sorry, but your choice to fall in line also teaches a lesson. But the lesson is this: R voters will vote for anything with an R behind its name, regardless of who or what it is.

If you have any questions, see my tagline. Many of us believe it is time to stand for conservatism. I take it you do not.

34 posted on 05/16/2008 5:16:14 AM PDT by MortMan (Those who stand for nothing fall for anything. - Alexander Hamilton)
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To: Blood of Tyrants

Well, since I’ve never voted for a moderate just to beat the other guy (and never will), your statements do not apply to me. My principles are more important than keeping the other guy out of office, in fact they totally supersede such silly ideas.


35 posted on 05/16/2008 5:28:31 AM PDT by arderkrag (Libertarian Nutcase (Political Compass Coordinates: 9.00, -2.62 - www.politicalcompass.org))
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To: KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
Given how deeply and unapologetically National Review has been into the tank for RINO Juan, these past few months

They ENDORSED Romney, but individual writers supported Romney, McCain, Thompson, Giuliani and Paul, a number liked Hunter or Huckabee a little. Since the nomination became secured by McCain, they have leaned towards him with many misgivings.

36 posted on 05/16/2008 5:35:58 AM PDT by Lucius Cornelius Sulla (All of this has happened before, and will happen again!)
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To: Lucius Cornelius Sulla
Since the nomination became secured by McCain, they have leaned towards him with many misgivings.

Fair enough. For "National Review," then, kindly substitute "Kathryn Jean Lopez." ;)

37 posted on 05/16/2008 7:21:38 AM PDT by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle (If McCain really CAN "win without conservatives," then why do you care if I vote for him or not?)
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To: arderkrag

So your solution is to abandon the fight altogether and HOPE that by some miracle that the ‘Rats don’t screw things up too bad instead of fighting a protracted delaying action?

Don’t worry, Obama has promised change that you aren’t going to like.


38 posted on 05/16/2008 7:54:43 AM PDT by Blood of Tyrants (G-d is not a Republican. But Satan is definitely a Democrat.)
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