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We've had some mention of "farm aide" recently -- which is a refreshing drink made from old farms.
But agricultural subsidies are another matter. When I was running for Congress in '04, my opponent was on the House Agriculture Committee, and had (among other things) pushed through an "emergency" bill that he personally benefitted from to the tune of $80,000. I pointed out that his land was in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and asked, "What kind of an emergency is it that makes it more expensive to NOT plant crops?"
The next year, his Financial Disclosure Statement changed -- there were no more farms listed. I had fun with the Department of Agriculture and the Freedom of Information Act tracking down his holdings and the money he collected. So he "sold" all his holdings, transferring his land to friends to hold for him. "It's your name on the deed now, but it's still my land. <wink, wink>."
Later on, he voted for Obamacare, and AARP (bless their souls!) ran a full page ad in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette THANKING him and one other Democrat Congressman for voting that way. Both of them instantly announced they were not running for re-election.
Then my old buddy, after he left office, went to reclaim his land. And his friends said, "Nope! MY land now. See my name on the deed?" And he found out that since he was out of office and his replacement was a Repbublican, he didn't have the juice to force them to sign it over to him.
I laughed until my sides ached!
But agricultural subsidies are another matter. When I was running for Congress in '04, my opponent was on the House Agriculture Committee, and had (among other things) pushed through an "emergency" bill that he personally benefitted from to the tune of $80,000. I pointed out that his land was in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and asked, "What kind of an emergency is it that makes it more expensive to NOT plant crops?"
The next year, his Financial Disclosure Statement changed -- there were no more farms listed. I had fun with the Department of Agriculture and the Freedom of Information Act tracking down his holdings and the money he collected. So he "sold" all his holdings, transferring his land to friends to hold for him. "It's your name on the deed now, but it's still my land. <wink, wink>."
Later on, he voted for Obamacare, and AARP (bless their souls!) ran a full page ad in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette THANKING him and one other Democrat Congressman for voting that way. Both of them instantly announced they were not running for re-election.
Then my old buddy, after he left office, went to reclaim his land. And his friends said, "Nope! MY land now. See my name on the deed?" And he found out that since he was out of office and his replacement was a Repbublican, he didn't have the juice to force them to sign it over to him.
I laughed until my sides ached!
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