Obama aims to cut farm subsidies

BrooklynBound · 11-26-2008, 12:48 PM

[i]In his news conference on Tuesday Obama vowed to run a cost-effective and efficient government. "If we're going to make the investments we need, we must also be willing to shed the spending we don't."

"We cannot sustain a system that bleeds billions of taxpayer dollars on programs that have outlived their usefulness or exist solely because of the power of a politician, lobbyist or interest group," he said.

An obvious example, Obama said, were reports of crop subsidies to farmers who make more than $2.5 million per year. He did not say what other programs he was eyeing.[/i]

[url]http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE4AM1QC20081125[/url]

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Good. There's no reason people should pay higher prices for food in order to protect certain industries.

Now, just get rid of all subsidies -- individual and corporate -- and we're cool.

MnJetFan · 11-26-2008, 01:21 PM

I hope he starts with ethanol!

Buster · 11-27-2008, 09:36 PM

I agree farm subsidies should be cut.

To me things like the U.S. Army sponsoring "Top Fuel dragsters" seems like they should be on the block, too.

[IMG]http://gelfmagazine.com/GelfImages/050527_dragracing/dragsteredit.jpg[/IMG]

CTM · 11-28-2008, 10:31 AM

Sounds like a good start..

Hope we close foreign bases and cease much foreign aid..

We're broke, I hope Obama realizes it...

jetswin · 11-28-2008, 10:47 AM

I would applaud this decision.

VincenzoTestaverde · 11-28-2008, 11:53 AM

[QUOTE=CTM;2884751]Sounds like a good start..

Hope we close foreign bases and cease much foreign aid..

We're broke, I hope Obama realizes it...[/QUOTE]

We should start by closing those bases in Iraq.

CTM · 11-28-2008, 11:55 AM

[QUOTE=VincenzoTestaverde;2884830]We should start by closing those bases in Iraq.[/QUOTE]
Leave them open to collect reimbursement from Iraqi oil funds..

Seriously, if they're not paying us back for their "freedom", WTF did we spend all this money for?

asuusa · 11-30-2008, 01:00 AM

[QUOTE=BrooklynBound;2882991][i]In his news conference on Tuesday Obama vowed to run a cost-effective and efficient government. "If we're going to make the investments we need, we must also be willing to shed the spending we don't."

"We cannot sustain a system that bleeds billions of taxpayer dollars on programs that have outlived their usefulness or exist solely because of the power of a politician, lobbyist or interest group," he said.

An obvious example, Obama said, were reports of crop subsidies to farmers who make more than $2.5 million per year. He did not say what other programs he was eyeing.[/i]

[url]http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE4AM1QC20081125[/url]

---
Good. There's no reason people should pay higher prices for food in order to protect certain industries.

Now, just get rid of all subsidies -- individual and corporate -- and we're cool.[/QUOTE]

This is good, but BO's a little too late; "change" is already in the works...

[QUOTE]The 2008 bill changes the $2.5 million income cutoff for subsidy recipients. Now, subsidies are banned to farmers with off-farm income exceeding $500,000 or on-farm income exceeding $750,000.[/QUOTE]

The big problem is enforcement...if the law isn't enforced, these things will happen! Now, in reality, 49million to 2700 farms averages $18K/farm and over 3 yrs averages about $6K/yr. Actually, I'm surprised it's only this much; most gov programs have much more fraud and waste than this!

This is a catch-22 situation...take away all farm subsidies and what'll happen? Fewer and fewer farms so we'll have less and less to export so our trade balance will be more lopsided than it is! We'll have to depend more and more on foreign grown food b/c our farms can't compete with cheap labor in other countries!

I don't like subsidies either, but you can't go cold-turkey and cut them off w/o throwing a monkey wrench into the gears of the system!

RussianGreen · 11-30-2008, 03:46 AM

[QUOTE=asuusa;2886261]This is good, but BO's a little too late; "change" is already in the works...

The big problem is enforcement...if the law isn't enforced, these things will happen! Now, in reality, 49million to 2700 farms averages $18K/farm and over 3 yrs averages about $6K/yr. Actually, I'm surprised it's only this much; most gov programs have much more fraud and waste than this!

This is a catch-22 situation...take away all farm subsidies and what'll happen? Fewer and fewer farms so we'll have less and less to export so our trade balance will be more lopsided than it is! We'll have to depend more and more on foreign grown food b/c our farms can't compete with cheap labor in other countries!

I don't like subsidies either, but you can't go cold-turkey and cut them off w/o throwing a monkey wrench into the gears of the system![/QUOTE]
Actually AFAIK most of the subsidies are to allow farmers to grow less, not more -so the prices are maintained at sustainable levels.

11-26-2008, 12:48 PM	#1
BrooklynBound Hall Of Fame Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 15,550	Obama aims to cut farm subsidies [i]In his news conference on Tuesday Obama vowed to run a cost-effective and efficient government. "If we're going to make the investments we need, we must also be willing to shed the spending we don't." "We cannot sustain a system that bleeds billions of taxpayer dollars on programs that have outlived their usefulness or exist solely because of the power of a politician, lobbyist or interest group," he said. An obvious example, Obama said, were reports of crop subsidies to farmers who make more than $2.5 million per year. He did not say what other programs he was eyeing.[/i] [url]http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE4AM1QC20081125[/url] --- Good. There's no reason people should pay higher prices for food in order to protect certain industries. Now, just get rid of all subsidies -- individual and corporate -- and we're cool.

11-26-2008, 01:21 PM	#2
MnJetFan All League Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 4,302	I hope he starts with ethanol!

11-27-2008, 09:36 PM	#3
Buster not a rocket surgeon All League Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: East of the Jordan, West of the Rock of Gibraltar Posts: 4,267	I agree farm subsidies should be cut. To me things like the U.S. Army sponsoring "Top Fuel dragsters" seems like they should be on the block, too. [IMG]http://gelfmagazine.com/GelfImages/050527_dragracing/dragsteredit.jpg[/IMG]

11-28-2008, 10:31 AM	#4
CTM Hall Of Fame Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Not bababooey and I resent the implication Posts: 21,029	Sounds like a good start.. Hope we close foreign bases and cease much foreign aid.. We're broke, I hope Obama realizes it...

11-28-2008, 10:47 AM	#5
jetswin stumblin mumblin butt fumblin Board Moderator Jets Insider VIP JetsInsider.com Legend Charter JI Member Join Date: May 1999 Location: Westchester Co. Posts: 35,466	I would applaud this decision.

11-28-2008, 11:53 AM	#6
VincenzoTestaverde laughing at the Pledge Against America Banned Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: NYC Posts: 9,162	[QUOTE=CTM;2884751]Sounds like a good start.. Hope we close foreign bases and cease much foreign aid.. We're broke, I hope Obama realizes it...[/QUOTE] We should start by closing those bases in Iraq.

11-28-2008, 11:55 AM	#7
CTM Hall Of Fame Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Not bababooey and I resent the implication Posts: 21,029	[QUOTE=VincenzoTestaverde;2884830]We should start by closing those bases in Iraq.[/QUOTE] Leave them open to collect reimbursement from Iraqi oil funds.. Seriously, if they're not paying us back for their "freedom", WTF did we spend all this money for?

11-30-2008, 01:00 AM	#8
asuusa All Pro Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,171	[QUOTE=BrooklynBound;2882991][i]In his news conference on Tuesday Obama vowed to run a cost-effective and efficient government. "If we're going to make the investments we need, we must also be willing to shed the spending we don't." "We cannot sustain a system that bleeds billions of taxpayer dollars on programs that have outlived their usefulness or exist solely because of the power of a politician, lobbyist or interest group," he said. An obvious example, Obama said, were reports of crop subsidies to farmers who make more than $2.5 million per year. He did not say what other programs he was eyeing.[/i] [url]http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE4AM1QC20081125[/url] --- Good. There's no reason people should pay higher prices for food in order to protect certain industries. Now, just get rid of all subsidies -- individual and corporate -- and we're cool.[/QUOTE] This is good, but BO's a little too late; "change" is already in the works... [QUOTE]The 2008 bill changes the $2.5 million income cutoff for subsidy recipients. Now, subsidies are banned to farmers with off-farm income exceeding $500,000 or on-farm income exceeding $750,000.[/QUOTE] The big problem is enforcement...if the law isn't enforced, these things will happen! Now, in reality, 49million to 2700 farms averages $18K/farm and over 3 yrs averages about $6K/yr. Actually, I'm surprised it's only this much; most gov programs have much more fraud and waste than this! This is a catch-22 situation...take away all farm subsidies and what'll happen? Fewer and fewer farms so we'll have less and less to export so our trade balance will be more lopsided than it is! We'll have to depend more and more on foreign grown food b/c our farms can't compete with cheap labor in other countries! I don't like subsidies either, but you can't go cold-turkey and cut them off w/o throwing a monkey wrench into the gears of the system!

11-30-2008, 03:46 AM	#9
RussianGreen hates you Jets Insider VIP Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 4,418	[QUOTE=asuusa;2886261]This is good, but BO's a little too late; "change" is already in the works... The big problem is enforcement...if the law isn't enforced, these things will happen! Now, in reality, 49million to 2700 farms averages $18K/farm and over 3 yrs averages about $6K/yr. Actually, I'm surprised it's only this much; most gov programs have much more fraud and waste than this! This is a catch-22 situation...take away all farm subsidies and what'll happen? Fewer and fewer farms so we'll have less and less to export so our trade balance will be more lopsided than it is! We'll have to depend more and more on foreign grown food b/c our farms can't compete with cheap labor in other countries! I don't like subsidies either, but you can't go cold-turkey and cut them off w/o throwing a monkey wrench into the gears of the system![/QUOTE] Actually AFAIK most of the subsidies are to allow farmers to grow less, not more -so the prices are maintained at sustainable levels.