RedState.com has a great post where you can Pick Your Favorite Part of the Farm Bill!
From DIRECT PAYMENTS FOR PEANUTS to CONSTRUCTION OF CHINESE GARDEN AT THE NATIONAL ARBORETUM this Farm Bill’s a doozy.
Find out how your Senators or Representatives voted on this boondoggle.
Filed under: Farm Bill, In The News, Pork, Waste | Leave a Comment »
It was fill-in-the-blank-time for editorial boards across the country to describe the Farm Bill disaster. Michael G. Franc has this roundup of reactions in NRO Farming Out Principle:
“bloated monstrosity” (News-Sentinel of Fort Wayne, Ind.), “outrageous” (Charleston, W. Va., Daily Mail), “absurd” (St. Louis Post-Dispatch), “disgraceful” (New York Times), “shameful” (Wisconsin State Journal), “irresponsible” (Houston Chronicle), “maddeningly stupid, [...]
Filed under: Farm Bill, In The News, Pork, Waste | Leave a Comment »
The Council for Citizens Against Government Waste (CCAGW) today reacted to the farce known as the Farm Bill. After President Bush vetoed the Farm Bill on Wednesday, the House moved to immediately override the veto, but it was discovered that the President did not receive the correct copy of the bill. Because of constitutional issues, [...]
Filed under: Budget, Farm Bill, Pork, Waste | Leave a Comment »
As if complaining about the $5.2 billion in direct subsidy payments to millionaire farmers and $3.8 billion in disaster aid that will ultimately hurt taxpayers and the environment wasn’t enough, at the very last minute Congress added more than $2 billion in earmarks to the Farm Bill.
The complete list is here (Farm Bill Earmarks), but let [...]
Filed under: Farm Bill | 1 Comment »
What a sorry excuse for leadership! On Thursday, May 8, 2008, Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Rep. Collin Peterson (D-Minn.), Chairmen of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees respectively, had spent more than an hour revealing their conference agreement on H.R. 2419, the 2008 Farm Bill. Understandably, since they had shepherded this monstrosity to conclusion, [...]
Filed under: Farm Bill, Pork | Leave a Comment »
Two press releases for today:
CAGW Commends Decision on Cap of High-Cost Fund for USF
Washington, D.C. – Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) today commended the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) for its decision on reform of the Universal Service Fund (USF) and applauded the agency’s efforts to cap the out-of-control subsidies that consumers are financing. …
CCAGW Statement [...]
Filed under: Farm Bill, Pork, Telecommunications, Waste | Leave a Comment »
Tom Schatz discusses the missed opportunities for reform in the Farm Bill with CNBC’s Becky Quick on Squawk Box.
Filed under: Farm Bill, In The News, Media Hits, Pork, Reform, Video | Leave a Comment »
Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) will defend the status quo against much needed reform in the farm bill conference committee.
Lincoln tapped for Farm Bill conference committee
Senate leaders named Sen. Blanche Lincoln, D-Ark., this week to the panel expected to write Congress’ final version of the Farm Bill.
Lincoln will join House and Senate negotiators on a [...]
Filed under: Farm Bill, Porker | Leave a Comment »
. . . is Sen. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.) for thwarting three amendments to the farm bill that would have provided some modest reform.
Read more here
Filed under: Farm Bill, Porker | Leave a Comment »
Watch Tom Schatz discuss the Omnibus and Farm Bill as well as announce December’s Porker of the Month on CNBC’s Pork Watch
Filed under: Appropriations, Budget, Earmarks, Farm Bill, In The News, Media Hits, Pork, Porker | Leave a Comment »
A lengthy, well-written but infuriating article by Gilbert M. Gaul in today’s Washington Post about massive fraud in USDA loan programs. Here are some of the highlights:
Since the 1970s, the loan program has endured nearly $1.5 billion in losses while backing almost $14 billion in guarantees to private banks, a Washington Post investigation found.
Actual losses are almost [...]
Filed under: Farm Bill, In The News, Pork | 2 Comments »
The Washington Post addresses the monumental excesses and budgetary gimmickry contained in the Farm Bill. The lede is succinct and blunt:
“Thanks to the application of a little last-minute budgetary magic, the farm bill before the Senate this week authorizes about $10 billion in new subsidies, price guarantees and disaster aid in the next decade, even as farmers report [...]
Filed under: Farm Bill, In The News, Pork, Reform | Leave a Comment »
New Farm Bill Commentary by John Frydenlund released today
Washington Times editorial quotes Tom Schatz here:
Thomas Schatz, president of the government-waste organization, “applaud[ed]” the FRESH Act because it “would replace Depression-era farm-subsidy programs with programs that would provide a real safety net for farmers when they need it instead of doling out excessive payments to the [...]
Filed under: Farm Bill, In The News, Media Hits | Leave a Comment »
