Tuesday, November 15, 2011

‘Secret farm bill’ primed for passage in debt deal

As a way to get years more money to farmers written into law despite heavy opposition from many, Congress members are working up a plan to put the legislation into the bill being that will be submitted for an up or down vote by a super- committee.

We are enticingly told that the payments may change from grants to crop price insurance and therefore no longer dole out grants to people who don't actually  farm just because they own former farmland, but that can encourage overproduction and hurt 3rd world farmers and the environment. 

I'd like to think that more sunlight on the process would be good, but the super committee route isn't the way to clear the clouds.  In fact  it was specially  devised to.obscure and give cover to Congress over debt. 

We may be seeing more secrecy gimmicks from them in the future.  They hardly need that with most of the American press focused on celebrity pairings and breakups, sports, and the Republican debates.

The debates are exposing how truly unacceptable some of the GOP candidates are, so they are of some use at least.

A person though shouldn't need to read some insider DC paper to know controversial legislation is quietly being slipped into an up or down vote bill.

http://bit.ly/vB9ukG