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April 23, 2008
Farm Bill: 411 and Counting
Today we updated our farm bill pro-reform editorial map. The tally now stands at 411 reform minded editorials published in American dailies since January 1st, 2007. After the jump I break down some of the papers pushing hard for a change in the inequitable and wasteful farm subsidy system.
Cross posted on Mulch.
Starting in the West:
Seattle Post Intelligencer - 10 pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: Making It Worse - Apr 1, 2008
"Congress has largely neglected reform and the savings that would have followed. "
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San Francisco Chronicle - 9 pro-reform editorials
Latests entry: Bumper Crop of Big Spending - Apr 16, 2008
"From the fiscal watchdog perspective, the bill is a sign that the new Democratic leadership is as profligate as the Republican leadership it replaced. Make that more profligate. "
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Los Angles Times - 10 pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: The Hunger Threat - Apr 17, 2008
"He shouldn't hesitate to haul his bully pulpit up to Capitol Hill and ask Congress to correct some of the most misguided U.S. agricultural policies -- starting with the expensive and environmentally destructive farm bill."
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Colorado Springs Gazette - 5 pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: A Bumper Crop of the Same Old Subsidies - Nov 1, 2007
"Democrats blew it by passing a bill in the House that kept the status quo in place."
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Dallas Morning News - 11 pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: Bush, Environmentalists Right to Oppose Farm Bill - Apr 15, 2008
"There's another funny point about that handout to wealthier farmers. The same Democrats who like to beat up Mr. Bush and the Republicans for being too friendly to the wealthy on taxes have gone stone-cold silent on this farm bill's generosity to this sect of wealthier Americans."
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Omaha World Herald - 6 pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: The Senate Disappoints - Dec 17, 2007
"Politics as played by the House and Senate deserves the blame for the subsidy-heavy farm bill. An important election year is coming, after all. But overfeeding a few farmers and landowners who don't require subsidies, while continuing to shortchange the smaller farmers whom the subsidies are supposed to assist, is not an acceptable long-term farm strategy, politics or no."
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Minneapolis Star Tribune - 8 pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: One Last Chance for Farm Subsidy Reform - Dec 27, 2007
"The Senate passed a $286 billion farm bill that makes only minor changes to the bloated agricultural subsidy system that rewards rich farmers for being farmers."
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Des Moines Register - 7 pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: Don't Create Another Farm-Aid Boondoggle; Block Misguided Creation of Disaster Fund - Oct 29, 2007
"The full Senate should just say no. The fund would further bloat subsidies to farmers in a handful of states, while neglecting needed investments around the country in conservation and rural development"
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Wisconsin State Journal - 7 pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: Opponents of Reform are Protecting the Wealthiest Fraction of Farmers at Everyone Else's Expense - Apr 10, 2008
"The battle over a cap on annual subsidies provides just a glimpse of the shameful manner in which the majority in Congress is squelching efforts to reform the nation's costly, outdated farm subsidy system."
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Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - 9 pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: Seven Lost Years - Apr 16, 2008
"The US should reconsider the rich subsidies that are larding up the current version of the farm bill, which is still being debated in Congress. "
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Kansas City Star - 9 pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: Fix the Crop Subsidy System - Jan 4, 2008
"When Congress returns to work this month, lawmakers need to improve a farm bill by modernizing the way taxpayers subsidize crops."
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St Louis Post Dispatch - 7 pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: Growing Catastrophe - Apr 13, 2008
"At a time of record grain prices, it makes no sense to subsidize grain farmers."
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Chattanooga Times Free Press - 17 (yes, 17) pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: Spend-Fest in Congress - Mar 21, 2008
"Suburban families are receiving large farm subsidies for the grass in their back yards, subsidies that many of these families never requested and do not want. Over half of all farm subsidies go to corporate farms with average household incomes of $200,000."
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Orlando Sentinel - 16 (again, that is correct) pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: It's Outrageous to Give Farm Subsidies While Food Prices are Skyrocketing - Apr 16, 2008
"In fact, if the subsidies were pared back, there would be more dollars available for hunger programs, both at home and abroad."
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Washington Post and Washington Times combined - 22 pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: Food Lessons - Washington Times Apr 18, 2008
"The unfairness and waste of these subsidies are well-publicized; they still must be lifted."
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The New York Time and Wall Street Journal combined - 17 pro-reform editorials
Latest entry: Amber Waves of Green - Wall Street Journal Mar 13, 2008
"Yes, thank heavens for that millionaire safety net."
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Hopefully, someone is listening.