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Cash crops Belly Up to the TroughBy Rick Horowitz
"It's not a perfect bill, I know that. But you know, no bill ever is." President Bush on Monday, signing the farm bill Let us sing now the praises of the American farmer, that noble breed of pastoral patriot whose sturdy work ethic and flinty independence are a shining example to us all. Who can gaze upon the farmer's steady eye, the sweaty brow, and not feel a surge of admiration? For farmers produce what the nation -- what the world -- consumes. Farmers -- the backbone of America! Farmers -- the engine of democracy! (And like any engine, in need of occasional lubrication.) Just picture them in your mind's eye: Ma and Pa Farmer, determined to keep the family multi-state agribusiness alive. Before the sun has even pierced the horizon, they're out there, toiling away on the land. And long after the sun has left the sky, they're out there, still toiling, pausing only long enough to pocket their share of the latest multi-billion-dollar bailout from the federal government. It could be as much as $190 billion this time, over 10 years, and if that's a huge increase over current subsidy levels -- well, who deserves it more than the American farmer? Grower of wheat and corn, harvester of peanuts, and wool, and mohair, and honey. And money. They are built of sturdy stock. Proud. And self-reliant. But times are hard; they're willing to make an exception. They're willing to cash our checks. We owe them our gratitude -- and a hefty chunk of the federal budget. They are, after all, the backbone of America. Let us sing, too, the praises of the American politician, that visionary assortment of senators and representatives who demonstrate time and again that when principle clashes with politics, there is no contest. These are the dedicated public servants who looked back at a half-dozen years of efforts to reduce farm subsidies, to let farmers cope with the realities of the marketplace, and said, "Never mind." These are the people who looked ahead at the growing budget deficit and proudly announced, "We can make it worse!" These are -- some of them, at least -- the people who have been moved on occasion to criticize certain other people who rely on government assistance to get by, people who don't happen to work on farms. These are -- some of them, at least -- protectors of the public purse who simply hate it when the government "throws money at a problem." They're for fiscal discipline -- when it suits them. They're also for getting re-elected. And let us sing the praises of our president, who considered the legislation staggering toward his desk, laden with goodies, and decided that he would not poop this party. Did the bill represent an approach he'd long criticized? No question. A measure at complete variance with his free-market philosophy? No doubt. Would it undercut his efforts to convince other countries to reduce subsidies to their own farmers? Totally. Would it make a balanced budget that much harder to achieve? Of course. And still our president signed the bill, and even praised the bill. "It will promote farmer independence," he declared, "and preserve the farm way of life for generations." In so saying, our president demonstrated the flexibility of mind, the malleability of belief, that separate true leaders from the rest of the population. He understood that the Republicans need to pick up just one seat this November to regain control of the Senate. He understood that several of the states with competitive Senate races are farm states. And he understood that to veto this bill would cost the Republicans farm-state votes, and possibly the Senate. Principle will only take you so far. Let us sing now the praises of political calculation. Posted 5/16/02. Get
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Rick Horowitz
