[zoyd]

By custom, Congress decides baseline farm subsidies every five to seven years during consideration of "the farm bill." The 1996 farm bill expires this year. The House, which passed its renewal version in October 2001, wants to legislate a ten-year package. Currently, Senate Democrats are trying to muscle their version through the Senate floor and have included a five-year provision in it.
Both the House and Senate, however, want to lavish $17 billion a year of taxpayer subsidies on farmers. This represents a $10 billion annual increase from the $7 billion levels that prevailed during the mid 1990s and an incredible 70% increase from the Congressional Budget Office baseline projection of $10 billion a year if the old farm bill were simply extended.

From National Review online.

[terilyn]

I'm not arguing what the baseline is. I'm simply saying that it's obvious they're going to spend the money anyway as they have since 1998. The difference is that in 1998 - 2001 it was done IMHO without fanfare. You and I and the rest of the American taxpayers paid for it without seeing how much it was in black and white. The only advantage here is that for the first time in four years they're at least telling us they're going to do it. Doesn't make it great, but it does make it a little easier to take, (at least for me). I prefer honesty and transparency when it comes to government spending.