A Harvest of Pork By backing the farm bill, President Bush sells out his principles.

Wall Street Journal ^ | May 8, 2002 | PETE DU PONT

[joefergeson]

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."

[joefergeson]

When the Wall Street Journal editorial page starts bashing Bush, I begin to get worried. What's up with this adminstration?

[Grut]

What's up with this adminstration?

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

[Wolfie]

Mohair subsidies?!?!?. What a joke. Curly and Larry are ones who needed the hair.

[Wolfie]

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.

[RJCogburn]

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?

[joefergeson]

>> 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?

[rellimpank]

--and Clinton proved we could be better off without one--

[Pining_4_TX]

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.

[oldvike]

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.

[chemainus]

selling out........again

[jimt]

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.

[Grut]

LOL!

[uncbob]

Bush apparently HAS NO PRINCIPLES.

Breaking his promise to veto CFR proved that

CARL ROVE HAS TO GO

[Digger]

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.

[joesnuffy]

Hey its only money...we'll print more.

[Jesse]

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.

[Cuttnhorse]

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.