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Political notes from Free Press staff writers Terri Hallenbeck, Sam Hemingway and Nancy Remsen


8.04.2009

 

D.C. doings

A little update on the day's events in Washington, when they weren't busy not deciding what to do about clunker cars:

- Today the Senate voted to boost money for food stamps and three in $350 million to the o lift milk price supports — the amount the government pays for surplus milk products — by an estimated $1.50 per hundredweight. That came from an amendment by Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., and barely passed 60-37. Sixty votes were required because the amendment broke budget rules.
According to the AP: Sanders said dairy farmers, especially smaller ones, are struggling badly as milk prices have plummeted by more than 40 percent below last year, well below most farmers' production costs.
"Family-based dairy agriculture is on the verge of collapse," Sanders said.
"This is not a regional issue. This is a national issue."

- Also today in the Senate, debate began on the confirmation of Judge Sonia Sotomayor. Sen. Patrick Leahy gave the opening remarks:
"Judge Sotomayor’s journey to this nomination is truly an American story ...
(and) a reminder to all of the continuing vitality of the American dream,” he
said. “She’s a restrained, experienced and thoughtful judge who has shown
no bias in her rulings.”
He'll probably be celebrating her confirmation later this week.

- Terri Hallenbeck

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Comments:
While I feel bad for the situation facing the family farm, geesh, this is just one more seriously flawed bailout…on top of TARP, on top of the Stimulus.

Nothing is being done to fundamentally change the family farm operating model . Sadly we are simply giving them money to sustain an unsustainable industry.

It’s not surprising Bernie would champion this redistribution of wealth, the Socialist that he is.

Why not let the free market work rather than continue to prop up failing industries?

Can you say nanny state?

Captain America
 
Sorry Captain -- far more money is given to factory farms and to subsidize the production of industrial corn in this country than is given to family farms.

When Republicans give huge $$ to Monsanto and the industrial food producers, nobody talks about the nanny state ... but when someone wants to throw a few bucks in to help a family farmer, the right wingers go into attack mode.
 
Dear Captain America,

Let's see what happens when the northeast dairy industry collapses, its actually quite straightforward.

Option 1: A majority (lets say 80%) of farms close. You pay at 4 to 5 dollars more for ANY dairy, not just milk...ice cream, cheese, yogurt etc.

Option 2: All most all the farms close and you use milk imported from western states, also at a huge markup.

When all the farms go away the dairy supply goes way down, the demand stays the same and you start paying an arm and a leg. Its really basic economics.

So before you go trying to shut down every family farm, and hoping that it is a dying industry, remember they produce the food you eat, well actually since you're a super hero you don't need food I guess.
 
"When all the farms go away the dairy supply goes way down, the demand stays the same and you start paying an arm and a leg. Its really basic economics."

Think about what you just said Taylor.... We ARE spending alot for dairy. You are paying your $2.50(or whatever it is these days) to by a half gallon and the federal government (your tax dollars and mine) is paying $350 million. Now explain to me how that keeps the real price of milk down? Whether it comes out of the left or right pocket, its still coming out. The only difference in my free market case is you pay for it if you want it. In your nanny state case, everyone pays for it whether they want it or not.

I prefer to not be told by government what I will spend my money on. It's time to shrink government and its meddling in the free market. Haven't they done enough damage with Social Security, Medicaid, the Post Office and Amtrak?

Captain America
 
Is the market meant to serve people or are people to serve the market? Guess we know your answer, Captain America.

All hail the great god, Free Market.
 
All hail the great illusion of state-run economies: Soviet Russia, the East Bloc, China, North Korea, Cuba. The people were well-served there, huh?
 
In my nanny state everyone benefits by not putting 1,500 Vermont farms out of business.

No farms, no food...its really quite simple.

Captain America supports starvation.

Also, I enjoy Amtrak, its cheap and enjoyable, and sending a letter is really quite cheap when you think about how expensive it would be to drive a message somewhere by yourself.

You forget that these government didn't design these programs to destroy your life, they're meant to help, so when you attack their very being we all wonder whether you are just against them in their current forms and in to reforming them, or if you really just want everyone to starve in old age because they can't afford retirement or health care.

Wait, is Captain America also against health and happiness?
 
Just so you know, the market serves the people particularly in a free market. The market provides what the people want.

When Gov't intervenes, the market merely becomes a means to execute public policy which is set and reset at the whim of the 'In-Party'. Name one gov't controlled market/business that is successful.

the Post Office....nope.
Amtrack....nope.
Fannie Mae...nope.
Social Security...nope.
the price-supported Dairy industry...nope.

...hmmmmm

Captain America
 
The Free Market has profit as its main concern. Where the welfare of citizens is concerned, it is necessary to have at least government intervention, if not government provision of services in some instances to insure that people are served as well.trif
 
Social Security is not a "business" it is a service. The Post Office is the same. Not everything has to be a business.
 
Just to be clear businesses exist to provide goods and SERVICES.

Social Security is in the financial services business. They provide a retirement savings plan, not unlike any mutual fund that offers IRA's (only they do it much more efficiently that the SSA).


Captain America.

And for your information...Amtrak provides a service too.
 
I'll bet there are millions of americans every year who think that Social Security is good.

As for the post office, unfortunately they are compared to UPS and Fedex - only UPS and Fedex skim off the cream of the mailing industry leaving the least profitable to the P.O.

It's not even a fair comparison.
 
Is anyone preventing the USPS from competing with FedEx or UPS?

The problem is the Post Office has not reacted to a clear market fact which has been obvious for 20 years. Email will replace traditional snail mail. They knew it but chose to stay in denial and not react because they had no profit motive to do so.

Once again.... free market drives efficiency.
 
"Once again free market drives efficiency."

Fairy tale of the year. That's why costs keep going up ad infinitum.
 
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