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Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tejek who wrote (183550)	2/24/2004 6:55:26 PM
From: Tenchusatsu	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1574226

Ted, if farming is going the way of corporate consolidation, so be it. I agree with Craig Barrett when he says that government is supporting 19th-century industries such as agriculture and steel. Of course, he was specifically referring to California at the time, but his comments also apply nationwide. You can spend billions on war and defense but you squeeze every nickel you can out of your farmers?!! One word: entitlement. Tenchusatsu

To: tejek who wrote (183550)	2/24/2004 6:56:36 PM
From: TimF	Read Replies (2) \| Respond to of 1574226

What the hell is wrong with farm subsidies? 1 - They cost billions of dollars. I haven't checked out the cost in the most recent budget but I know in the past they have been over $20bil a year, and that is just the actual government spending it doesn't include the indirect costs. 2 - Many of them are structured to increase food prices which hurts consumers esp. the poor. 3 - Like all subsidies they create a situation where resources are less efficiently used. 4 - Third world countries are impoverished by food trade barriers and subsidies. Tim

To: tejek who wrote (183550)	2/25/2004 9:43:45 AM
From: hmaly	Respond to of 1574226

Ted Re...Granted, I'd rather spend the money on that than on, say, farm subsidies, but thus far it doesn't really seem like a self-sustaining alternative from a purely economic perspective. What the hell is wrong with farm subsidies? The GOP on this thread repeat that statement like its a mantra. I can not believe you would bite the hand that feeds you. Unfortunately, on this subject, you are both right. There is danger in driving all of the small farmers off of the farm, in favor of more efficient corporations. However, if the corporations are controlled, that danger can be mitigated. For instance, Tyson probably controls enough of the chicken industry, to manipulate prices. While small farmers have tried to organize, through the NFO etc, all efforts have largely failed. Subsidies, haven't stopped the natural progression to larger, more efficient farms, as the big corporations have also been even more efficient at collecting them. What we really need, I believe, are tighter anti trust laws, limiting the size and scope of said corporations, such that each is a small part of the food chain. Subsidies, as well meaning as they are, won't change the basic situation, unless they can be drawn up well enough, to actually protect small farmers.