The only response I have is what I said before:
Quote:
Originally Posted by dc_dux
An estimated 10 million people below or near the poverty line, many of whom are children, will get a needed increase in supplemental nutrition assistance (food stamps) benefits or be eligible for the first time.
For the first time, the bill also denies all supports to people with more than $500,000 adjusted gross income, denies "direct" payments to people with more than $750,000 in farm income, and eliminates the "three-entity rule" (the shell game used to establish corporations and other entities, which allowed the amount of payments received to exceed statutory limits).
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For me, these are reasons enough to conclude that since passage of a farm bill was inevitable, these positive changes make it acceptable. I dont particularly like making concessions that I otherwise would oppose, but I will IF it is the only way to get what I believe is essential....thats the nature of politics.
ace....there is absolutely nothing to suggest that "if we need a bill to feed needy children, seniors..." that Republicans would support such a free standing bill. They never have supported similar safety net programs in sufficient numbers in the past so why would they now?
Baraka's graph lays it out pretty well in one respect.
The
dairy industry and the
livestock industry are serious financial contributors...mostly to Republicans. As opposed to supporters of child hunger and/or food nutrition programs (Childrens Defense Fund, Food Research and Action Center, etc), NONE of which make political contributions.
Where I disagree with Baraka's chart/link is the statement....
The Farm Bill... governs what children are fed in schools and what food assistance programs can distribute to recipients.
Parents determine what they buy with food stamps....most use them as wisely as they can, given the quality and selection available in many inner city grocery stores (have you been in one...the quality/selection is appalling). We know that some recipients are not so responsible, but there is no evidence that those are more than a very small minority.
Schools are also making progress in changing their nutrition programs (see
Making it Happen: School Nutrition Success Programs), albeit not as quickly or as widespread as it should be. Without adequate funding, these successes are far less likely to continue or be adopted by more schools.