Washington Post Article on the Delta

[Po Monkey Lounger]

[Duck Nawteek]

DON"T GET ME FREAKIN STARTED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[JaMak84]

You hit the nail on the head there po monkey. Unfortunately with the way the welfare system is set up most of the Delta population would rather sit on their hands and receive a check for nothing than to work for one. 65 percent of funding provided by the farm bill is directly related to welfare. That's the part of the farm bill that needs the most work, not the subsidies. I don't think subsidies are ever going to be a thing of the past, but they're slowly being reduced because they're a red flag on the global market. The farm bill is slowly moving toward green payments based on conservation rather than subsidies based on what you grow. Until the welfare system is reformed to force able-bodied persons to actually work for a paycheck there will be little motivation for major changes.

[tombstone]

[donia]

[the doctor]

[JaMak84]

Let me rephrase that. Subsidies will never be removed, because like you said, the cost offset to the consumer will be too high for the majority of the population to pay. Right now farmers receive subsidies based off of base acre system that was set back in the seventies. This system is dependant on the crop that was grown at that time. Basically, we're attempting to move away from that system, because the word "subsidy" is considered a red payment on the global market. The payments won't be removed, just the system under which the funding is allocated. We're attempting to move towards a system that pays producers based on good farming practices that reduce soil erosion, increase water savings, and wildlife habitat. It removes the term subsidy, and rewards farmers for how they farm, not what they farm. I may be talking out my booty about all of this, but this is the system and it's future plans as understand them.

[torch]

The "Farm Bill" includes the school lunch program, food stamps, wic programs just to name a few. All of those programs need to shifted back to the social system and taken out of the farm program. People see a farm bill worth 300 billion and 95% of it is social programs. I can't beleive Judy Hill said it was a black and white thing and Ole G. Rives said he wasn't getting rich on subsidies.

[stitch]

[JaMak84]

[MemphisStockBroker]

[the doctor]

[Boogerden Boy]

[JaMak84]

I'd gladly do it too if it was free, but it ain't free. Sitting on your butt and taking a hand out when you're capable of working is like stealing to me. I'd be stealing from my fellow taxpaying Americans and stealing from the less fortunate that actually do need the assistance. That's just my opinion anyway, maybe God didn't mean it that way when he said "Thou shall not steal" Yep, born in Cleveland and lived my whole life here. Kinda sad really.

[the doctor]

I dont disagree with your points but can you really fault them for just taking the handout? I realize nothing is free, but i am not sure it is stealing when we (our government) just hands it out

I guess it could be viewed as stealing although I pay my taxes to a government that I know will pay it back out to those abusing the system so I am in essence supporting that. And since I willfully pay my taxes or go to jail I hand the money over.

Point is I am not sure you can point the finger at those taking the handouts, finger should be pointed at those approving the handouts and ultimately those people are not just the politicians but the taxpaying, voting citizens.

and not sad at all to have grown up and lived in Cleveland, been there myself and only recently moved...wander if you were ever in Troop 2 of BSA

the doc