Free Republic

Data from the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ Value Added by Industry series, recently released by USDA’s Economic Research Service, indicates that – on a broad level – agriculture contributed a record-high $1.05 trillion to U.S. gross domestic product in 2016, up $35 billion, or 6 percent, from the prior year. U.S. GDP in 2016 was $18.6 trillion, thus agriculture’s contribution represented 5.7 percent of the U.S. economy. However, as a direct result of falling commodity prices, in 2016, the contribution of farm production to U.S. GDP fell to $136.7 billion, down 6 percent from 2015, and the lowest level since...

The Democrats have a big-time problem as they prepare for the next presidential election - too little money and too many candidates, all but a few of whom have this much chance: none. At last count there were eight ready to seek the chance to run against George W. Bush next year. That includes such late entrants as Rep. Dennis Kucinich, the one-time boy mayor of Cleveland, and Carol Moseley-Braun, the former U.S. senator from Illinois. Outside of their own states, they have neither a constituency or name recognition. The field has become so crowded that Democratic consultants are concerned...