John McCain: Farming for Riches

Chicago Tribune ^ | May 20th, 2008 | John McCain

[The_Republican]

I may surprise some people by saying what few presidential candidates would ever be willing to say out loud in farm country: I'd veto the farm bill—a bloated expansion in federal spending that will do more harm than good.

When agricultural commodity prices and exports have reached record highs, we no longer need government-grown farms and mammoth government bureaucracies. As grocery bills soar, food banks go bare and food rationing occurs on a global scale, we must challenge the wisdom of this bill. We must question policies that divert more than 25 percent of corn out of the food supply and into subsidized ethanol production. We must question a supply-control sugar program that costs Americans $2 billion annually in higher sugar prices.

Can we honestly demand fair and free trade from other countries when this bill increases trade distorting payment rates and restores an illegal cotton program? Sen. Barack Obama has raised the rhetoric on fair trade and restoring fiscal discipline, but his support for the farm bill betrays the inconsistency of his position: Cry foul with our trade partners, but break the rules at home.

The majority of subsidies in this proposal go to large commercial farms that average $200,000 in annual income and $2 million in net worth, and the bill allows a single farmer to earn more than $1 million before cutting subsidies. How can we credibly extend this largesse to this constituency? If I am elected president, I will seek an end to all farm subsidies and tariffs that are not based on clear need.

The farm bill will cost taxpayers nearly $300 billion, including $5 billion for direct payments each year to farmers, regardless of whether they grow anything. Growing better crops using less land, water and natural resources requires a more robust research approach..........................................................................................................................................................................................................

[untrained skeptic]

He'd veto the current farm bill, and replace it with one that does more to "combat global warming".

McCain is always talking about going after big government. However, he's also always proposing huge, costly government programs to advance the things he believes in.

McCain does not remotely resemble a small government conservative, nor does he resemble a social conservative.

I'm still left with trying to convince myself that he is the best of our bad choices. However, I'm not sure we can keep electing liberal Republicans. It seems the are more successful at pushing our government leftward when in power than the Democrats.

[clodkicker]

McCain is an idiot.