Latest Farm Bill hides payouts to wealthy congress & guarantees profit to insurance companies

The last Farm Bill failed and that was a good thing

Though this latest Bill has some good provisions, other provisions are very bad policy; The disclosure requirement of crop insurance premium subsidies to members of congress has been deleted from the Bill.

..with an amendment deleting the disclosure requirements under section 11001(b).

In the last go-round there was another provision that republicans pushed for; the Southerland amendment. This amendment would've allowed states to cut off food aid to families while keeping 1/2 the money. It failed

Disclosure of direct cash payments to members of congress is required. Here is a list of members and the amounts they received.
Transparency - that is a good thing. Requiring those in charge of writing laws to be held accountable. This is tax payer funded cash going directly to these "farmers".

There is another kind of subsidy. Government subsidizing crop insurance.

Subsidies in addition to direct cash payments going to farmers like:

 • Rep. Kristi Noam (R) SD: since 1995 received $503,751

 • Rep. Doug LaMalfa (R) Ca.: since 1995 received $1,710,385

 • Rep. Stephen Fincher (R) Tn.: since 1999 received $3.483,824

Fincher is the gentleman farmer TV evangelist/congresssman who preached the republican position heard from most all of the GOP in their "takers vs makers" bullshit claim that: “This is other people’s money that Washington is appropriating and spending.”

Chris Hayes sums it up:

"Hundreds of law makers just voted to keep the public from learning how much law makers themselves may be getting through crop insurance subsidies that they themselves voted into law."

Also too; Even as Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minnesota) explains that this provision affects only 16 states and

"it's how they leverage their heating money for food stamps money and doesn't affect most of the people in this country in any way.."

..the question remains; Why are we cutting 8.7 billion from nutritional programs at all? compromise?

(btw I like Sen. Klobuchar but don't quite get the details on this leveraging heating oil for nutritional supplements thing)

Advocate and Chef Tom Colicchio responds:

"It affect 850.000 people and it takes on average about $90 dollars out of their pocket every month.."

Tom Colicchio further explains that basically, people enrolled in the LIHEAP program will have to choose heat vs food quoting his friend Jim McGovern of Massachusetts

"we shouldn't have a farm Bill that makes one person hungrier"  

This is a big giveaway to insurance. The government picks up 60% of the premiums.

But this:  the government has an agreement with insurance companies; guarantees a 14% rate of return. WTF - subsidizing Big insurance to a guaranteed 14% profit?
(short ad - sorry)

 

 transcript @ link: http://video.msnbc.msn.com/...

 Guaranteed income for the already rich

compromise with republicans and this is meeting half way (?)

I hope this Bill is rejected, it needs a lot more work - imo

 - end of rant