Reply With QuoteI personally know the man, so I can say this is not the caseI suspect Ryan is a sheep in wolves clothing and will not follow through but it took a bit of nerve to even tackle the subject.
American Farmers and Subsidies
Given the possibility of a Romney victory this year it looks like his VP would like to see American farmers weened from the Government teet. I suspect Ryan is a sheep in wolves clothing and will not follow through but it took a bit of nerve to even tackle the subject.Source page 34 Path To ProsperityReflect the economic reality of record-‐high farm income by restructuring farm programs, saving taxpayers money and increasing farmer independence. Compared to an overall economy that is recovering slowly, the American agricultural sector is improving dramatically. The record-‐breaking prosperity of American farmers and farm communities is to be celebrated. But it also calls for a re-‐examination of federal agricultural programs that spend billions each year. Taxpayers should not finance payments for a business sector that is more than capable of thriving on its own. Net farm income this year is forecast to be modestly lower than last year’s very high level, but it would still be the third highest inflation-‐adjusted income level recorded since 1980. Production costs have risen, but farmer incomes continue to be supported by strong prices for most crop and livestock commodities. The top five earnings years for farmers in the last 35 years have occurred in the last decade. Yet, at the same time, numerous overlapping government programs exist to provide income support to farmers. With farm profitability – and deficits – continuing at high levels, it is time to adjust support to this industry to reflect economic realities. This budget proposes two major reforms to achieve this: First, reduce the fixed payments that go to farmers irrespective of price levels, to reflect that soaring commodity prices are reducing the need for high levels of farm-‐income support. Second, reform the open-‐ended nature of the government’s support for crop insurance, so that agricultural producers assume the same kind of responsibility for managing risk that other businesses do.
I personally know the man, so I can say this is not the caseI suspect Ryan is a sheep in wolves clothing and will not follow through but it took a bit of nerve to even tackle the subject.
Given the past history of vice presidential non-influence on policy after a presidential win, I would say that Mr. Ryan will likely be attending a lot of rubber chicken dinners and going to a lot of funerals of various dignataries around the world in lieu of the president, as has been the case for decades. VPs are generally just a guy in the batters box, who is has a big glass around him that says: only break glass in case of loss of the POTUS. They have virtually no imput on policy.
I would say Cheney was a bit influential. (The Democrats certainly thought so. LOL)Originally Posted by commanding
Whats funny is Biden doesnt have the Mental capability to think like Ryan on this level. Ryan isnt stupid, much less Biden level stupid. And from a cursory reading it seems like a good idea to try. But realisticaly the VP's dont have as much influence as you think. Every now and then one may but most havent. Hell Truman didnt even know about the Atomic Bomb prior to becoming President.
x2....well said. most of us common folks can't even name the VP for the corresponding presidents prior to our own birth (with a few exceptions like Truman, Roosevelt, etc)
Ryan is a policy wonk in fact he lives and breathes policy and Romney was lacking in a clear coherent domestic policy bearing, with Ryan he brought on board a man with both a compass and chart. He may be the first VP to perform more than a functionary duty.
Like what the others have said, VPs usually don't do anything, and from what I've been told, they pretty much are used to help out the voting ticket and kept safe and secure so the line of succession is all good..just in case POTUS goes down. Kinda like LBJ and JFK, for example.
More than anything, for Romney, he's saved his campaign.
If Romney wins, he KNOWS it will not be due to himself, but to Ryan.
Ignoring Ryan once in office would be a fatal mistake for Romney.
The subject has already been tackled. Look at the 2012 Senate version of the Farm Bill. Pretty much everything is gone. Aside from a few groups here and there the only thing being asked for by American farmers and ranchers is a crop insurance program. Without crop insurance there is no way for a farmer or rancher to protect himself. The sad thing about crop insurance is that no private entity offers any policies so farmers and ranchers are stuck having to buy policies from the U.S. govt.
Scrap the SRA and crop insurers would probably still write but at increased premiums. I believe the list of approved crop insurers are all private or mutual it's just that they are backed by the govt.
What if the United States's farmers dont get any subsidies anymore? Could local agriculture thrive?
I strongly believe in market laws. And I think that any long time measure bending it, even if it has good motivations, is bad in long term. Because somebody, without knowing and deserving it, will have to pay it from his own pocket.
I think Reagan cut subsidies during his government. Surely, it should have been tough in short term to farmers. Did it work?
We cut all agricultural subsidies to our famers in 1984-5 as our country was goling bankrupt in a hurry from supporting them. No more minimum prices, no more subsidised fertiliser, no cheap fuel, no more special treatment. A few went under, some land was returned to non-productive use and a lot thrived even if they had to change just what they were farming and how they went about it. If the land is right for agriculture, you can make a profit off it without government assistance.
Thanks for the information. Good to know that.
Only certain crops are subsidized. Generally the ones with the biggest lobbies. And yet, those unsubsidized farmers seem to do rather well.
They say in Iowa, you can't win without praying to the corn god.
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