Okay, a break from McCain/Obama propaganda -

What do y'all think of the "farm bill" congress just passed? My first impression is that I actually concurred with Bush's veto - that is I don't like expanding food stamp programs (maybe so far as it keeps up with inflation) or giving windfall subsidies to independantly-successful farmers, but I admittedly don't know a lot beyond what's published in mainstream press, which isn't much IMO.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/05/14/farm.bill.ap/index.html

Bush, who opposed the bill Tuesday because it would send too much money to wealthy farmers. He noted that married farmers who make up to $1.5 million can still collect subsidies.

"I believe doing so at a time of record farm income is irresponsible and jeopardizes America's support for necessary farm programs," Bush said.


while income and profit are two different things, how is the left going to spin this to look like Bush isn't only for rich?

For once, I'm with Bush on something.

I'm getting a little tired of reading article after article about Congress passing this bill and that bill that requires more spending.

Applause for Bush for vetoing.

I'm very happy with him vetoing the bill. What I want to know is why he was so cool with all of that spending when he had a Republican congress.

Spending is good as long as it's the things you want to buy!

I'm very happy with him vetoing the bill. What I want to know is why he was so cool with all of that spending when he had a Republican congress.
This is a good point...

Anyways about the bill... What pisses me off is the earmarks. I don't know much about the amounts of subsidies that farmers already get, and someone already mentioned the income vs. profit thing, so I have no knowledge in that area either. I think increasing food stamps a little is a good idea, since the prices of a lot of staple foods (bread, milk, etc.) have gone up SO much lately.

What bugs me so much about these farm bills (going back to the end of time, seemingly) is best demonstrated by the sugar industry. The government has decided to protect that industry and, IIRC, ban or heavily tax sugar imports. So the cost of sugar is this country is quite high compared to others. So we get chocolate and soft drinks with high fructose corn syrup instead. Lots of candy manufacturers are moving production to Canada. I'm sure the idea is (or was) to protect jobs in the sugar industry. But if you add in the jobs lost in other industries, have we actually gained anything? There's all kinds of junk like that in these bills.