Is McCain right? Are farm subsidies a bad idea?

[Habib]

It's also worth noting that McCain chose Iowa, a state where the voters will absolutely reject any vote against farm subsidies, as a place to make news about his stance on farm subsidies. Is it straight talk, a campaign ploy, or both?

[the mathemagician]

I asked my farmer father in law this question. His answer was "No". I'll stick with that.

 

 

Your farmer father-in -law says they are not bad; Bush says they are.

 

mmmmm....... I go with the farmer. Easy one.

[ladiesbballcoach]

Your farmer father-in -law says they are not bad; Bush says they are.

 

mmmmm....... I go with the farmer. Easy one.

 

This thread is not about Bush but in your blinding hatred for him, I will point out something from above with a comment.

 

 

The Dems like to rail on the Republicans on their support for the wealthy and yet the article has this.....

 

sent it to President Bush, who, like McCain, says it is bloated with subsidies for wealthy farmers.

 

I thought the Dems would be all for not giving subsidies to WEALTHY individuals. Are you against, simply because Bush (Republicans) are for it?

[cch5432]

Without subsidies, most farmers wouldn't make a living, would quit farming and food prices would go throught the roof.

 

Is that entirely true? If farmers couldn't make a living it would be because the prices would be too low to support them. Supply would remain constant. It's an interesting discussion though, especially with regards to this point and national security. I guess farm land would certainly be in danger if its value was reduced to aesthetics.

Agreed Habib. If the farmers need subsidies, it is because there is too much supply right now. Otherwise they would be able to sell what they are growing and make a profit. You could make the argument that while food costs are low, we are more than making up for it in the taxes we pay.

 

HHSDad, being a fiscal conservative that you are, I would figure that you would see this as the perfect opportunity to cut spending rather than raise taxes.

 

I see this issue as similar to the issue of tariffs- indirectly, it is horrible for the economy. Subsidies are just too expensive. If Congress continues to approve multibillion-dollar annual emergency packages in addition to payments included in the annual budget, the total costs of farm support could top $6,000 per household throughout the next decade.

Your farmer father-in -law says they are not bad; Bush says they are.

 

mmmmm....... I go with the farmer. Easy one.

 

This thread is not about Bush but in your blinding hatred for him, I will point out something from above with a comment.

 

 

The Dems like to rail on the Republicans on their support for the wealthy and yet the article has this.....

 

sent it to President Bush, who, like McCain, says it is bloated with subsidies for wealthy farmers.

 

I thought the Dems would be all for not giving subsidies to WEALTHY individuals. Are you against, simply because Bush (Republicans) are for it?

Good call LBBC. That graph I put up there elaborates on that point.

 

The mathmagician- have you seen that thread about kool-aid? Why would you take a stance just against Bush rather than for or against the issue?

[H]

I think in general, the concept of farm subsidies is a sound one. It is in our nation's best interest to ensure the viability of domestic food production by subsidizing capacity in excess of immediate market demand. I have never really payed much attention to the farm subsidy program and how it's run, but I strongly suspect the good intent of the program has been perverted on occasion by special interests to pay for things beyond its original scope. I'd be shocked if there weren't pockets of wasteful spending.

 

I wouldn't, however, advocate scrapping the entire program. Sometimes pure free markets don't work the way our country needs them to.

[cch5432]

I think in general, the concept of farm subsidies is a sound one. It is in our nation's best interest to ensure the viability of domestic food production by subsidizing capacity in excess of immediate market demand. I have never really payed much attention to the farm subsidy program and how it's run, but I strongly suspect the good intent of the program has been perverted on occasion by special interests to pay for things beyond its original scope. I'd be shocked if there weren't pockets of wasteful spending.

 

I wouldn't, however, advocate scrapping the entire program. Sometimes pure free markets don't work the way our country needs them to.

Agreed, except for the last sentence of course. :thumb: But I do believe that the program, while necessary, is incredibly too huge right now. Way too much money going into it.

[the mathemagician]

Agreed Habib. If the farmers need subsidies, it is because there is too much supply right now. Otherwise they would be able to sell what they are growing and make a profit. You could make the argument that while food costs are low, we are more than making up for it in the taxes we pay.

 

HHSDad, being a fiscal conservative that you are, I would figure that you would see this as the perfect opportunity to cut spending rather than raise taxes.

 

I see this issue as similar to the issue of tariffs- indirectly, it is horrible for the economy. Subsidies are just too expensive. If Congress continues to approve multibillion-dollar annual emergency packages in addition to payments included in the annual budget, the total costs of farm support could top $6,000 per household throughout the next decade.

 

 

 

Good call LBBC. That graph I put up there elaborates on that point.

 

Themathmagician- have you seen that thread about kool-aid? Why would you take a stance just against Bush rather than for or issue?[/ QUOTE]

 

 

 

 

I haven't done an in-depth analysis of the farm subsidy program lately. Just saying, in response to the dude's farmer father-in-law who said farm subsidies are good, I trust his judgement more than the idiotic Bush. I make no apologies for failing to trust Bush's insights. There are only about 28% of you left that don't believe he is an utter fool.

[cch5432]

I haven't done an in-depth analysis of the farm subsidy program lately. Just saying, in response to the dude's farmer father-in-law who said farm subsidies are good, I trust his judgement more than the idiotic Bush. I make no apologies for failing to trust Bush's insights. There are only about 28% of you left that don't believe he is an utter fool.

themathemagician, I know are an intelligent poster because of the intriguing math problems you have posted at times and a lot of things you have posted in this forum. I know you have very little respect for a young voter such as me because I remember you accused another poster of being "18 or 19 years old" assuming that that was the cause of his naivety. But if I ever get to a point where I make my political decisions based on who supports the ideas, rather than the ideas themselves, then I hope the U.S. government takes away my right to vote.

 

Mods, I am sorry for getting of topic.

[woodsrider]

Your farmer father-in -law says they are not bad; Bush says they are.

 

mmmmm....... I go with the farmer. Easy one.

What farmer is going to say they are a bad idea. If your company said they were cutting out bonuses would you think it was a good idea?

[woodsrider]

themathemagician, I know are an intelligent poster because of the intriguing math problems you have posted at times and a lot of things you have posted in this forum. I know you have very little respect for a young voter such as me because I remember you accused another poster of being "18 or 19 years old" assuming that that was the cause of his naivety. But if I ever get to a point where I make my political decisions based on who supports the ideas, rather than the ideas themselves, then I hope the U.S. government takes away my right to vote.

 

Mods, I am sorry for getting of topic.

:thumb:

 

I am 33, is that old enough to form an opinioin?

[woodsrider]

As far as the topic of the thread, I am not sure how I feel. I am not 100% one way or the other. I feel like there are those that need it but then I see so many farmers driving brand new $45000 trucks every year and buying new combines every 2 years and I start having a huge problem with subsidies.

[halfback20]

:thumb:

 

I am 33, is that old enough to form an opinioin?

 

I'm 21 and I've been told numerous times I'm too young to understand many things.

[ladiesbballcoach]

I'm 21 and I've been told numerous times I'm too young to understand many things.

 

Well you are, you young whippersnapper.:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

 

No one calls anyone whippersnapper anymore. I miss the old days.:lol: