Food Stamp work requirement will Dramatically Hurt Farmers and Low-Income Households.

Here's what I don't get; instead of solving the root causes of social problems, Republicans go after the safety net programs put in place to help the victims of those problems. Remember "tort reform," it went after people injured or killed from medical mistakes, instead of trying to reduce those medical mistakes. The same is true of food stamps.

GOP Ideological Agenda different from Real World Problems: The lack of food and medical benefits for the poor, a problem in third world countries, is coming to the U.S.

In conjunction with the proposed $17 billion cuts to Snap in the Farm Bill, Republicans are getting waivers to institute draconian work requirements (30 hours a week in WI) that will drop many needy families.

"There is a proposal of a cut of about 17 billion to the SNAP or food stamp program over the next 10 years," said Zack Wilson, with the High Plains Food Bank. 

Work-for-Food another GOP created Problem: The GOP has been pushing this for a long time, and are now about to get their precious work requirements. But what got people on the food stamp program in the first place? Stagnant and dropping wages along with a ridiculously low minimum wage? The Great Recession that forced many big box stores and struggling manufacturers to go out of business? That was an outcome from the GOP's deregulation and voluntary regulation of Wall Street banks. So let's cut food stamps instead of tackling the reason why so many people need them:

USDA: “What would happen if funding for the Food Stamp Program were cut by $5 billion?” and “What would happen if food stamp benefits were converted from food vouchers to cash?” No matter which way the question is posed, changes in food assistance policy have effects on low-income households and the farm economy.

1. The $5 billion food stamp cut led to decreases in farm and food processing production ... approximately $1.3 billion and 7,500 jobs lost. The hardest hit farm sectors were livestock, feed crops, and fresh fruits and vegetables. 

2. The $18.5 billion food stamp cash-out led to decreases in farm and food processing production of approximately $3.5 billion and 18,500 jobs lost. Again, the hardest hit farm sectors were livestock, feed crops, and fresh fruits and vegetables. The production and job losses were distributed across the Nation.

3. The number of “working poor” increased as a result of the food stamp cut. Spurred by the reduction in food stamp benefits, low-income households sought more work hours, but, in aggregate, did not earn enough labor income to compensate for the drop in food stamp benefits. 

GOP demands food stamp cut, or no Farm Bill.

The GOP is about to screw over their biggest voting block, farmers. Will Gov. Walker's state tax exemption be enough for them to forget about their congressmen's inability to pass the farm bill? They'll love seeing the price of milk skyrocket to $7 a gallon.

Instead of trying to create jobs, they've decided to just take people off food stamps instead. Why not cut to the chase. Democrats hopefully won't back down. Rep. Mark Pocan comments, from Channel3000:

Auditors found no overpayments in Food Stamp program, but $14.5 million overpayments to farmers through the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation.

Rampant food stamp fraud is another big myth. Huge in fact. Public Televisions Market to Market featured this story on farm program overpayments and bad record keeping. 

But surprise, the food stamp program had NO problems. Why do Republicans say things that are just the opposite? Check it out: 

The Dept. of Agriculture paid out more than it should have, by $20.3 million, in 2012. That's 239 overpayments, and increase in 67 percent since 2011. The largest number of overpayments were processed by the Federal Crop Insurance corporation. There were 70 overpayments totaling over $14.5 million.

My conservative friend in Milwaukee once told me the story of a guy buying shrimp with food stamps. I asked him why he thought that was unfair. He was angry he didn't make enough to buy food like that. I asked him if he knew why that guy purchased the shrimp, suggesting perhaps a birthday, a new job, his last day on food stamps....? It didn't matter to him. Here are a few real life stories behind the stories so many Republicans tell their friends:

HuffingtonPost: Janina Riley noticed a woman muttering behind her in the checkout line … "I can't believe she's buying that big-ass cake with food stamps," the woman said, according to Riley.

Riley, 19, had just used a government-issued debit card to pay for most of her groceries, which included a cake for her son that said "Happy First Birthday Xavier" in a theme from the movie "Cars." She glared at the women for a second, then decided to confront her. "I was just like, 'Shut the fuck up,'" Riley said. She figured it wouldn't have started at all if the person had known that she was studying to become a nurse, and that she already worked more than 30 hours a week as an aide in a nursing home.

It's a gripe going back at least 20 years. In 1993, the Columbus Dispatch ran a letter to the editor lamenting a food stamp recipient buying "two bottles of wine, steak and a large bag of king crab legs.''  The crab complaint has recurred more than a dozen times in newspapers around the country.

A government survey from the late-'90s found that meats accounted for 34.9 percent of food stamp purchases, grains 19.7 percent, fruits and veggies 19.6 percent, and dairy products 12.5 percent. Soft drinks made up 5.6 percent and sweets 2.5 percent. Elizabeth Lower-Basch, an analyst for the Center for Law and Social Policy said, "You can't win. When someone's going to think you've got too much sugar, someone else is going to think you've got too much fat.

Patrick McCallister's vegetables annoyed another. McCallister said that in 2003 and 2004, he used nutrition assistance to feed his three kids. "I focused on buying fresh fruits, vegetables, whole-grain bread." McCallister had been standing at the Publix supermarket register … when the confrontation happened. "This woman comes up behind me," he said. "The woman remarked, 'I wish I could eat so well. Maybe I should go on food stamps so I could eat that well." The lady seemed annoyed by both the quality and quantity of McCallister's food. "I felt disappointed in the human race," McCallister said. 

Last fall, Cynthia Nerger of Warner Robbins, Ga., had a dispute with a manager at a Kroger grocery store over whether SNAP covered an item in her cart. After she prevailed in the argument, the manager delivered a low blow: "Excuse me for working for a living and not relying on food stamps!" Nerger burst into tears. What the manager didn't know is that Nerger couldn't work because she'd been waiting for a kidney transplant and had to spend 12 hours a day in dialysis. She took her case to a local TV station and soon won national attention. Kroger transferred the manager and offered Nerger a $15 gift card.

The trafficking rate is down from 4 cents per dollar of benefits in 1993 to 1 cent from 2006 to 2008, according to the department's latest data. More broadly, the idea is that the poor should feel poor at all times until they're not poor anymore.

House Republican Farm Bill Showcases Conservative Dickensian plans for US. Hail Scrooge!

What the Republicans did to the farm bill is so breathtakingly cruel, that it really is beyond words. Democrats tried to describe it and came close, but…

On the “promise” they would bring it up sometime in the future, Republicans could not promise what would be in the new standalone food stamp bill. That’s even worse. From Market to Market:

The Farmers Union released this statement:

Wisconsin Farmers Union denounced the deeply flawed and highly partisan Farm Bill that was passed by the House of Representatives on Thursday. The bill eliminated market stabilization for dairy, left out critical cost-saving and conservation measures, and failed to re-authorize nutrition programs for the food insecure. The bill also repealed the 1938 and 1949 permanent farm law, striking a blow to farmers’ leverage for seeking improvements in farm programs in the future.

“The Republican-dominated House of Representatives turned their back not on farm families all over this country but on seventy five years of good law. I am especially disappointed with the five members of the Wisconsin delegation who ignored the recommendation of nearly every major farm organization in the nation, which was to keep farm and nutrition programs together.” Congressmen Ryan, Ribble, Duffy, Sensenbrenner, and Petri all voted for the House Farm Bill that passed on Thursday. Earlier this month, a coalition of 532 farm and agriculture organizations signed a joint letter urging Congress to retain the nutrition title as part of the Farm Bill.

It should be mentioned the Democratic Party supports farmers. Voting against this assault on farmers and the poor: Mark Pocan, Ron Kind, and Gwen Moore.

Trust Foreign Food Importers? Republicans do: You want smaller government, than swallow this one:

WSJ: FOOD-SAFETY INSPECTIONS: Voting 198 for and 226 against, the House on Thursday defeated a bid by Democrats to require the Department of Agriculture to conduct annual food-safety inspections in countries that export egg products, meat and poultry to the U.S. A yes vote was to increase food inspections overseas.

Voting yes: Pocan, Kind, Moore. Voting no: Ryan, Sensenbrenner, Petri, Duffy, Ribble

Note to Farmers, Farm Bill not exactly free market guys.

If there were two industries that have benefited most from government involvement, it’s got to be the farm and dairy producers. Government programs have insulated these industries from the ravages of the free market and saved farmers large and small from natural disasters. 

Star Tribune: Dairy farmers expressed frustration this week with Congress' failure to pass a farm bill, saying … some could go under without changes to the federal milk program.

Farmers also worried … a 64-year-old law will kick in, sending milk prices spiraling … $6 a gallon. Here’s how things are set up to protect farmers from oversupply and short supply:

The Agricultural Act of 1949 sets a much higher price for government purchases of cheese, butter and other dairy products … The government cut the price in recent decades because if it didn't, more companies would sell to the government than to retailers, unless consumer prices rose to match.

Pete Kappelman, a Wisconsin dairy farmer and board chairman of Land O'Lakes, has a 450-cow farm in Manitowoc, Wis. … proposed a margin protection program that pays farmers when the price difference between milk and feed shrinks to a certain point. He also supports a market stabilization program that would require farmers to either reduce the amount of milk produced when prices drop too low or give up a portion of their margin protection payments. The U.S. Department of Agriculture would then use that money to buy and donate dairy products to food banks and help low-income families … The programs would be voluntary.

The Senate passed a farm bill last week that included both the margin protection and market stabilization programs, but House Republicans voted to remove the market stabilization program.   

A number of Wisconsin farmers were featured in the article, and a few of them are big free market Republicans. Kind of weird when you consider the roll government has played in their survival. You’ll notice the larger farms want the “margin protection program,” but not the “stabilization program" (it would cut the handout they receive or give surpluses to food banks and low-income families). By dropping the stabilization program, taxpayers/government would just keep forking over money to “free market” farmers. 

That’s my summary. The article goes on to explain this bizarre dynamic:

Randy Roecker, 40, and his wife farm with his parents in Loganville, Wis. They were doing well in 2008 … 300 cows. The next year, milk prices plummeted and feed prices rose. At one point, they were losing $100,000 a month; Roecker lost his savings, his parents lost their retirement and the farm went into debt. "Just last Friday, another one of my friends got rid of his cows," Roecker said. "... It's just getting to the point where you can't afford to keep going anymore."

Dean Strauss, 41, who milks 1,900 cows in Sheboygan Falls, and described himself as a "free-market" person, opposed the market stabilization program fearing that any reduction in milk production would stifle growth in the Wisconsin cheese industry, which buys most of his milk. Jamie Bledsoe, who has 1,300 cows in Riverdale, Calif., had similar concerns; "My personal view is, the government does not effectively manage anything, let alone the supply of milk."

But Kappelman said that without a way to control supply when milk prices fall too low, farmers would keep producing, the margins would stay low and the government would have to keep shelling out.

Food Stamp Debate Echoes Wisconsin Lunacy, as GOP Pummels Poor.

The rotting corps we know as the Republican Party showed us their really bad side today, when they took on food stamps in the farm bill. Never mind the corporate welfare in the bill with no real means test, it's conservative envy of those getting food stamps that needed addressing, forcing them to jump through government regulations...hey, I thought they didn't like regulations?

First, Massachusetts Rep. James McGovern just tears the Republicans apart in this clip that shines a light on some of those insulting hoops. He doesn't let up:

Rep. Joe Crowley is another Democrat who took the SNAP Challenge, where lawmakers lived on $5

a day like other food stamp recipients. Crowley is sympathetic, unlike his Republican counterpart Steve Stockman, who apparently didn't see Wisconsin State Rep. Dean Kaufert's junk food ban checklist. Popsicles, bag of cookies...?

If the list to the right isn't pathetic enough, Stockman went further:

Stockman’s communications director and agriculture policy advisor, was able to buy enough food to eat well for a week on just $27.58, almost four dollars less than the $31.50 “SNAP Challenge” figure. “We can cut the proposed benefits by an additional 12.4 percent and still be able to eat for a week.” 

 The theme again for Republicans...mocking the poor.  Here's Chris Hayes:



MSNBC's Martin Bashir:

Republican Freeloader Rep. Stephen Fincher, Farm Bill Welfare King takes from Food Stamps Funds.

While the Senate passed a farm bill that did as little damage as possible to the food stamp program, while still aiding farmers, the House is taking a wrecking ball to it. One GOP Representative and welfare recipient in particular stands out in a way that if he were a Democrat, Darrell Issa would be calling for an investigation.

International President of The United Steel Workers Leo Gerard wrote this recently for Common Dreams:

The Farm Bill that is expected to pass the U.S. House this week explains income inequality in America. The Republican-sponsored proposal slashes food stamps for poor children and pads farm subsidies for wealthy agri-businessmen. This comes just a week after Senate Republicans refused to protect the poorest students from doubled college loan interest rates because that required closing tax loopholes that benefit big corporations. 

Republican Congressman Stephen Fincher of Frog Jump, Tenn., is the ugly face of the feed-the-rich public policy. He is a seventh generation millionaire agri-businessman. He raked in$3.5 million in federal farm subsidies from 1999 to 2012. That averages out to $269,000 a year in farm welfare. It makes him one of the largest farm welfare recipients in Tennessee history as well as among members of Congress. This politician, who thrived on the government dole, raking in $738 a day in farm welfare over the past 13 years, is among the loudest advocates for increasing subsidies to agribusiness by about $10 billion and slashing food stamps by $20 billion.

That would take food from 2 million poor people. They get an average of $133 a month in food stamps. That's less than $5 a day for the poor -- not the $738 a day that Fincher got.

Gerard wrote this about a week after MSNBC's Lawrence O'Donnell featured Stephen Fincher as the poster boy of farm bill welfare:

Gerard makes this final important point:

The government subsidizes Walmart the way it does millionaire farmers like Fincher. Though low-income workers receive the food stamps, essentially that government aid is welfare for Walmart. A food stamp applicant must prove poverty to qualify for government aid. But not big business. Not agri-business.

The number of food stamp recipients increased dramatically since 2008 because of the great recession, an event caused by reckless gambling on Wall Street. House Republican policy calls for the victims of the recession to suffer and the perpetrators to continue receiving low interest federal loans.

Why do hard working Family Farmers support Freeloading, do-nothing Republicans? Compare Sen. Baldwin and Dumb Ron Johnson on much needed Farm Bill.

Dumb Ron Johnson doesn't like making difficult decisions. The Farm Bill is one of them. He can’t shake the “food stamp” problem he says costs too much at the expense of doing more for farmers. Like doing what for farmers Ron, since government handouts aren't possible when you’re trying to make cuts, cuts, cuts?

But for Johnson, it’s always something isn't it?

Yet Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin stepped in, made decisions and took action. She helped pass the farm bill in the Senate:

Wisconsin Ag Connection: Wisconsin's newest U.S. Senator says she glad to see her

colleagues vote in favor of a new five-year farm bill on Monday. Tammy Baldwin called the measure, which passed in the Senate, a bipartisan piece of legislation that will help move Wisconsin's economy in the right direction.

Here’s Tammy’s view:

"Wisconsin's family farmers have been an engine for our state's economy for generations," Sen. Baldwin said. "The Farm Bill makes important investments in our rural communities and supports an industry critical to our state's economy."

Johnson voted against it:

But GOP Sen. Ron Johnson doesn't feel the 'Agriculture Reform, Food, and Jobs Act' does enough to help farmers. He's argued for months that the program contains too much money for food stamps. "About 80 percent of the spending in the bill will be spent on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program," Sen. Johnson said in a statement. "That is out of control … This bill is simply not targeted to help farm and dairy families dealing with over regulation, misguided federal policies, and weak demand brought on by terrible economic growth."

Really? Let’s see if that’s true. Johnson rejected:

Several of the key provisions in this year's farm bill include providing training and access to capital to new farmers; creates manufacturing jobs by growing bio-manufacturing to replace oil-based products; increases the ability for farmers to sell what they grow in their local markets; and expands export opportunities for American farm products.

Dumb Ron Johnson walked away, leaving Tammy Baldwin to pass and include the following additional aid:

Baldwin says the Specialty Crop Block Grants will help support research for crops like cranberries, potatoes, ginseng, and cherries. The Beginning Farmer and Rancher Opportunity Act to provide tools for farmers including technical assistance and training programs, as well as matching funds for savings accounts and lower loan rates. And the Rural Energy Investment Act will provide funds for renewable projects including anaerobic digesters and investments in biofuel crops.  Meanwhile, the Dairy Security Act was also part of the Senate's version of the farm bill with the controversial market stabilization program in place. 

What’s not to like Ron? Oh yeah, food stamps for those still effected by the Great Recession thanks to the "free market." Baldwin helped both sides, standing with farmers and added:

Chippewa Herald: “The bipartisan farm bill makes the most significant reforms to farm programs in decades,” Baldwin said. “It ends unnecessary subsidies like direct payments, eliminates duplication, and streamlines programs to save more than $24 billion.”

She pointed out that the average age of U.S. farmers is about 60. “Many of them inherited or were able to buy into a family operation. That’s getting tougher and tougher these days. That’s why we have to start investing in a new generation of farmers and ranchers,” Baldwin said. “The farm bill provides training programs and helps new farmers access important tools, land, and capital to get their operation off the ground.”

Rural Red areas of the State need a Reminder...

If I were running as a Democrat in a rural area, I would start out with a few simple truths:

I would run on carving out an exception in the “death tax” (their term) for family farms only.

I would bring real health care competitive, a marketplace to rural areas, to lower their sky rocketing costs.

I would point out how important it is to bring high speed internet to rural areas and smaller towns to spur on vital economic growth, and point out how internet providers blocked upgrades because it wasn't profitable. Their Republican friends went along.

I would hammer on the Republican attempt to delay mail delivery to rural areas by consolidating distribution centers, but then remind them of how Republicans reversed their position after conservative voters complained they wanted their mail on time. 

I would ask them why they continue to tolerate the Republican attempts to delay the farm bill and drought aid.

I would remind them how high speed rail included upgrades to track and trains moving farm product to market.

I would remind them that Republicans are making it difficult to hire farm help by not dealing with immigration reform.

And I've only just scratched the surface.  

Sensenbrenner, Duffy and Petri stiff Dairy Farmers, but probably still want their vote.

Here’s an important observation that should be a really big issue in the next congressional race:

jsonline: Rep. Reid Ribble also noted that the bill includes an extension of the Milk Income Loss Contract dairy program.

Ribble is talking about his yes vote to avoid the “fiscal cliff.” Dairy farmers needed something, anything to avoid a steep, economy crushing jump in milk prices.

But who didn't come to the rescue of farmers? Here’s who voted, and how:

In addition to Ryan, Moore and Ribble, Democrats Ron Kind and Tammy Baldwin voted for the bill. Republicans Sean Duffy, Tom Petri and Jim Sensenbrenner voted against the measure.

Think about that when they ask for your vote, promising tax pledges, voodoo and magic. 

Not only that, but rural farmers also got what they wanted when it came to the estate tax. The estate tax exemption has been raised to $5 million, and indexed to inflation.  

Let the rural conservative voters know who in congress was looking out for them, and who took their vote and abandoned them for a farm crushing principle. 

As for the farm bill, here's Ezra Klein with a look at what could have happened if Sensenbrenner, Duffy and Petri got their way: