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Time to Cut Farm Subsidies? Obama's Budget Makes Deep Cuts.

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by BetterThanEver, Feb 19, 2011.

  1. BetterThanEver

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    If republicans believe in free market reform, ending handouts, and eliminating unneccessary spending, they will support cuts to farm subsidies.

    Farm subsidies are a big waste of money. We are going to cut welfare, we need to start with businesses. Food costs will go up, but it's better than higher taxes.

    First, Obama wants to cut $1.8 billion from the federally backed crop insurance program(Think FHA and VA for farm crops).

    Second, Obama wants to cap payments at $30,000 per farm.

    Third, a farmer can earn up to $500k in unadjusted farm income, before qualifying for farm subisides. Obama wants to lower the ceiling to $250k.

    http://articles.latimes.com/2011/feb/14/business/la-fi-farm-subsidy-cut-20110214
     
  2. DonnyMost

    DonnyMost Member
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    I'm fine with gutting subsidies to the corn cartel and livestock factories.

    But real farmers, you know, people who responsibly grow lots of wholesome foods and humanely raise and slaughter animals, they need all the help they can get.
     
  3. rockbox

    rockbox Around before clutchcity.com

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    I don't know enough about the farming industry to know what to cut or how to execute it but I do think some subsidies are necessary for national security. Farms require lots of capital and lots of debt, and one bad season could financially kill many farms.
     
  4. thumbs

    thumbs Member

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    Subsidies across the board should be curtailed. Personally, I see no reason for any type of tobacco subsidies, especially in light of the legislative curbs for the finished products. Farm subsidies for the agricultural supercorporation like Archer Daniels should be eliminated, but I do agree with DonnyMost and rockbox that assistance to the family farmer/rancher should be continued.

    Of course, I am in the minority in thinking that we need to use food like OPEC countries use oil -- for profit and leverage. IMO we need to use every option we have to shave our national debt -- the interest alone could fund health care.

    Yes, I wish Obama would direct each of the four major services to cut $15B from their 2012 budgets. I'd let the Coast Guard's budget remain intact because of the growing threat by drug smugglers and other coastal "police" issues.
     
  5. Dairy Ashford

    Dairy Ashford Member

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    The production wouldn't go down, ownership would just transfer to banks, insurance companies and large-scale food producers who could better manage the risk. The farmers would just become tenants or sharecroppers (without the racial subtext or company store scrip). Midland states like Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas would just raise their state income tax on city folk to 10-15% and create their own farm subsidies.
     
  6. dharocks

    dharocks Member

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    I think it's pretty stupid that corn and soy are so heavily subsidized when other fruits and vegetables are not. Why do you think our diets are such crap when when we've made high fructose corn syrup and soy protein isolates so cheap?

    I'd like to see reforms to the system to better benefit small farmers and bring down the cost of healthy, natural foods, but I don't really see that happening.
     
  7. Mr. Clutch

    Mr. Clutch Member

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    Still only a small part of the budget.
     
  8. Carl Herrera

    Carl Herrera Member

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    This subsidy cut comes from Michelle Obama for sure! She wants us to "eat healthy" to screw Tea Party corn farmers!
     
  9. GladiatoRowdy

    GladiatoRowdy Member

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    Dismantle the drug war and you could cut that $15 billion from the Coast Guard plus save $70 billion in enforcement costs and generate $40 billion in new tax revenue before you even begin to consider industrial hemp.
     
  10. YallMean

    YallMean Member

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    :grin:

    You are the 2nd person I heard with this point recently. Is there a green party campaign against subsidized corn or soy beans?

    Nobody stops your from buying organic stuff. There are alternatives. though more expensive.
     
  11. thumbs

    thumbs Member

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    I truly do not understand how you could support Michelle Obama's drive to cut unhealthy foods from our diets while advocating unhealthy drug use which will lead to a sharp spike in drug addiction. With this logic, diabetes is bad but addiction is acceptable.
     
    #11 thumbs, Feb 19, 2011
    Last edited: Feb 19, 2011
  12. Major

    Major Member

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    The whole ethanol thing is a big part of that - we need to scrap that whole idea. Food prices would come crashing down which would solve a lot of potential inflation issues.
     
  13. dharocks

    dharocks Member

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    I do buy organic stuff. But what about the 30 million Americans who depend on food stamps to eat? Forget organic, do you think they're able to spend on fresh, un-processed, nutritious foods, or the cheapest available options? When kids are growing up eating fast food and underfunded school lunch programs, that kind of effect do you think that has on health care costs? I would imagine it's a significant one.
     
  14. YallMean

    YallMean Member

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    So your theory is that b/c unhealthy stuff get subsidized the healthy stuff couldn't compete. We always do a lousy job picking stuff to subsidize, far worse than east asian countries. Maybe this is it, the gov't need to forgo the economic values, but rather other concerns. Let's subsidize organic stuff instead! That sure will make farmers happy. :p
     

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