Stockcropper`s 3 Farmbill Ideas

[BA Deere]

Alternative agriculture`s latest star, is putting forth 3 policies that he would like to see in the `23 farmbill. 

1. Drop crop insurance subsidy to zero. Then as you adopt "nutrient reduction practices" you gain back those premium reduced prices.

2. Get landowner`s "skin in the game" by increasing his or her property tax unless they or their tenant meets the nutrient reduction goals.  Property taxes will not go down, only up if your farm doesn`t participate. 

3. No subsidies (or greatly cut) on farmers over 62.  Essentially when you collect social security, any farm subsidies go bye-bye, I suppose to get young people in farming.

Here`s the 15 minute video"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jaSQv0BjTE   

The most negative thing that I will say about Zack`s proposals is they come across as China`s "social credit" policies.  I get it, if you are a "tree hugger" and frustrated that change isn`t coming soon enough, and the recipe says "bake at 400° for 30 minutes" there`s the temptation to set the oven at 800° and hope to be eating your cake in 15 minutes.  

[sdholloway56]

I darn near started a riot at a Farm Bureau policy get together once.

Old geezers were talking about how the gubmint needs programs to help young farmers. 

All I said was may they should just quit subsidizing old farmers.

Anyway, the only value that's left to any continued farm subsidies- existing or contingent- is as a tool to encourage socially desirable bahavior. Both nutrient and carbon pollution meet that definition.

[sdholloway56]

The number of farmers in the competitive commodity crop class is so few now that the jig is kinda up anyway, young or not.

That kind of farming (the sort that advertisers target here) is really a pretty good experiment for the technological future.

When 10 people with satellites (assisted by a tiny class of technocrats) farm everything, what are the broader social implications?

[BA Deere]

So far "helping young farmers" amounts to helping young farmers pay higher rent  😀   The government throws money around, the money always ends up to those who really don`t need it and that`s the way it`s always been.  My big problem is the "raising land taxes on those who don`t get on the program".   I can live with taking away crop insurance subsidies and even "no farm programs after age 62" they don`t amount to anything anyway.   The coming into my sandbox and holding a gun to my head, then we have a problem.

[clayton58]

Maybe if we stop subsidies to over 62 yr old farmers, we need to stop paying wages or salaries to government employees over 62 also. At least elected ones 

[bruce MN]

I seriously doubt that there would be many in the burgeoning Democrat Party leadership of the next couple of decades who would argue with you on that.

The policies we have were created by committee and floor leadership that consisted of almost exclusively old white men. 

Yeah….get ‘em the H out of the way.  My generation had their shot…….But gonna be tough……people keep electing us.  But if the point tips, who knows?  Sensing that possibility is probably what is driving this RW burning desire for a new fascism. 

[sw363535]

lots of problems in that thinking.   Now few like the usda needing IRS data even when they get it only with your testimony.  But this idea is mixing usda in with county and state jurisdiction.   Not going to work.  Some states depend on property taxes in different ways and some tax very differently..... some base it on land use value and some by appraisal.......how they going to deal with the difference.  Lets keep in mind, the current politicians are fighting for federal power over the states.  They parties have little "nepolian" complexes..... they all want ultimate Power to stomp around the world looking like fools.  But we are a United group of States.  Each with the actual power over most things.  The feds have only federal printing presses and cash handouts to create any power at all.  At the will of the states.

This idea is mostly illiteracy and laziness of wanting dictators in DC because it is easiest.... We are supposed to be educated and participating in government on the local level..... not handing out authority to the rubbish voted on by the masses from cities who pay no taxes in our state.

[lsc76cat]

Possibly the most abused of the first 10:

Amendment X

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively, or to the people.

[sw363535]

This over 62 class of federal elected has had pretty good success at their "democratic Society" goals...... punishing this government for all the ills they claimed it has.  It is my age group too and it is embarrassing and only successful because the voting base has become so illiterate that they can only vote when led by the nose ring we call social media and a cell phone.  Voters need to accept responsibility for the nonsense they elect.  When they do we will get better choices to vote for so senility is not so embarrassing.  That is the real problem with our Trump choice.  It was brought to us by the democrats and their lack of presentable candidates.  When they accept responsibility for their actions(like 20 candidates that were beaten by Biden in his 4th attempt to run after three failed attempts to look presidential),--then we will move on to wherever we are headed.  When a foreigner can school us on social media on what it takes to live up to the US Constitution and our ancestors.  We should move on from the embarrassment.  It was embarrassing in 1971 when the New National organization of Women bullied women at every rally in the midwest.  Their marxist ideology and classist desire to live by no rules at all, has been the but of jokes for 50+ years..... and destroyed their opportunity to be worthy of leading.  They will be forgotten like the steroid era of baseball I have no respect for.  The political stink will be in the air longer than the achievements they invent.  

Society is not led well when every person votes... but may be led well when every person that actually votes his own ballot understands what good leadership is.  How many votes counted is irrelevant by proxy.

[bruce MN]

So….The election of David Dennison was the fault of Democrats for not running the right candidate?

Interesting.  I agree with your obvious premise that Ms. Clinton was horrible choice.  Out of every Democrat in the country the process was able to sort out somebody off the bottom 1%.  A corporatist opportunist who didn’t have one progressive or classic liberal cell in her body.  Just as a very significant portion of the public, though not enough in the D active set, was prepared to continue to move forward with a progressive agenda.  Therefore she is what they got and Dennison is what we all got.

Now presents an inverse opportunity for the GQP to take the observation of that experience and nominate a palatable centrist candidate.

Good luck with all that.