The latest "controversy" from the Rand Paul campaign in
Kentucky? The libertarian-leaning Republican has the bodacity to
question the most egregious form of farm subsidies. On the radio
recently, he noted that the feds pay $1 billion to farmers not to
get their hands dirty by, you know, actually planting and
harvesting crops:
"I don't think that's a good idea, to pay people not to
farm."
He is similarly unimpressed with programs that pay dead farmers
to keep not farming.
Paul criticized the subsidies Wednesday in an interview on
WHAS-AM in Louisville, saying that the program last year paid $9.1
million to 234 dead farmers in the Miami area.The Bowling Green eye doctor also urged that subsidies be
stopped to 2,700 farmers who he said make more than $2 million a
year.
Needless to say, this sort of vile reactionary positioning has
earned him the wrath of all good, decent Americans. Including that
of his opponent for the honor of replacing Sen. Jim Bunning in the
nuthouse known (to its members, anyway) as the World's Greatest
Deliberative Body (now that the Soviet-era Politburo is in
turnaround).
Paul's Democratic opponent, Kentucky Attorney General Jack
Conway, has been criticizing Paul for his opposition to the
subsidies. In a heavily agricultural state like Kentucky, Paul's
stand could alienate farmers, an important voting bloc.
Maybe it's the nut-bag libertarian in me, but I think any
candidate who actually defends farm subsidies in the 21st century
should be sent packing with their pockets full of ADM soybean
samples.
[*] Headline allusion alert: Ladies &
gennleman, Charles
Manson's greatest hit, as interpreted by The Beach Boys.
It's Friday somwhere in the world, isn't it?
Posted using cast2blog.com
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