Old MacCongress Had a Farm Bill
Old MacCongress Had a Farm Bill
E-I-E-I-O-NO!
Washington – As the House of Representatives prepares to vote on the disastrous Farm Bill this week, all members of Congress should think long and hard before they cast their votes. If ever there was a bill worthy of being soundly defeated, it is the abomination officially known as the Farm, Nutrition, and Bioenergy Act of 2007.
“With its subsidies to millionaire farmers; the elimination of key payment limits; dramatic spending increases; direct commodity payments regardless of record-high crop prices; and a new, permanent disaster aid program, the Farm Bill is a slap in the face to American taxpayers,” said Club for Growth President Pat Toomey.
A vote in favor of the Farm Bill will be a permanent stain on the lawmaker’s record and on the 110th Congress. The bill’s terrible features include:
- Subsidies to millionaire farmers without a hard, meaningful cap on a farmer’s qualifying income
- The elimination of key limits on annual commodity payments
- Spending gimmicks that disguise over $10 billion in spending increases
- An increase in subsidy rates despite sky-high crop prices and record farm incomes
- Direct payments for crops that are not based on a farmer’s income, crop prices, or any standard of need
- The creation of a new, permanent disaster aid program, creating incentives to grow the wrong crops on bad land in bad weather
- Tax breaks for special interests like race horse owners and timber companies
“Congress has passed a lot of bad bills over the years, but the Farm Bill would really take the cake,” Mr. Toomey continued. “We commend President Bush for vowing to veto the bill and urge Minority Leader John Boehner and Minority Whip Roy Blunt to make sure all Republicans uphold the President’s veto should it be necessary. Lest lawmakers think the public isn’t paying attention to the arcane details of this complex bill, let us assure lawmakers that we will work very hard to make sure taxpayers know exactly how Congress is spending their money.”
