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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: cAPSLOCK who wrote (127825)	2/18/2001 12:31:59 PM
From: willcousa	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769670

CAPS - ecom also fails to note that the evolution of farming in this country is from smaller to larger rather than the reverse - which he advocates. The reason we are the world's premier producer is partly that. And it is dicatated by economic forces, not social engineering.

To: cAPSLOCK who wrote (127825)	2/18/2001 6:54:50 PM
From: ecommerceman	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 769670

capslock--thanks for the lengthy and thoughtful replly. I don't have the time right now to answer you, and I don't disagree with you entirely, either (which may surprise you)... It's my view, however, that there is a "social good" in keeping family farmers working the land, EVEN if they are not quite as efficient as large absentee owners who use hired hands to work the land. I believe that for 2 reason: one, family farmers who work the land they own will take much better care of it (just as homeowners take better care of their homes than renters), and because food is a necessity of life, it seems to me that the government would be wise to ensure that our soil is in the hands of those who will take the best care of it; two, if and when our food production is in the hands of a few giant corporations, then we will be at the mercy, as eating is not a choice. I do believe, as you do, that compelling reasons should exist before the government subsidizes various industries (like it does with the mortgage interest deduction, for instance, which subsidizes homebuilders and realtors, in addition to consumers), but in the case of family farmers, I believe those reasons are compelling... Thanks again for your thoughtful reply.

To: cAPSLOCK who wrote (127825)	2/19/2001 1:11:48 PM
From: RON BL	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 769670

Well articulated piece. As a gardener you do not look to protect the weeds by pulling out beautiful flowers. The human being does not seek to nourish the cancer cell but save the body from cancer. Robert Reich the former labor secretary wrote in his book that the greatest threat to America was the entrepreneur. He reasoned that Big government should meet with Big business and decide what needs to be produced. In my view, that opinion should have made the front page of all the major newspapers. If that isn't out of the 1984/Brave New World genre I don't know what is. And someone tried to tell me that communism wasn't alive in this country. It had a full blown seat in La LA land.