Political Insider

By Craig

May 16, 2008 6:46 PM | Link to this

So agricultural welfare is OK but other forms are not. And a conservative is supporting this big government entitlement program? Talk about planned economy. Does Saxby not realize this is socialism at its finest? Trotsky would be proud to see such a planned economy in the agricultural sector. Saxby thinks big government handouts will hurt…of course. For those pimped off the system. So much for standing on conservative principles. Who is the Libertarian running for Senate?

By arthur tesla

May 16, 2008 7:43 PM | Link to this

No farm subsidies for genetically engineered soybeans (Poison)!! No farm subsidies for genetically engineered corn (Poison)!! No money in the farm bill for universities to do research on genetically engineered crops(Poison)!! Stop The POISON!!

By Doug Craig

May 16, 2008 8:24 PM | Link to this

I want smaller government except when I want bigger government. Don’t bail out the home owners but bail out the farmers. Take money from one group and give it to another. Don’t you dare mess with my group (farmers or welfare people) or you will pay. Don’t vote for Bob Barr or Allen Buckley or we might get a liberal in office. Whay do you call Saxby ? The GOp is no differnt the the Demoncrats they are just giving your money to differnt groups.

By Don H

May 16, 2008 8:49 PM | Link to this

I’m Republican and I am NOT a farmer, and I DO live in Florida. If Repubs get this passed, I will not be voting R in the next round. This entire congress and senate must be VOTED OUT OF OFFICE. Every incumbant.

By Clark Trammell

May 16, 2008 8:53 PM | Link to this

Yes Sir, Mr Chambliss, the poor farmer like Ted Turner need this bailout. He, Saxby Chambliss shows once again why he and someother Republican senators do not deserve the support of the Republican Party, and if they do get their support, then The Republican Party does not support our support.

By Eileen Hall

May 16, 2008 9:01 PM | Link to this

Why are we paying the last dribble of taxes to OUR PEOPLE not to produce (anything)? I agree…this whole congress needs to be voted out if it is not to late…and why is government paying tabacco farmers not to plant when we now import 80% of the tabacco made into cigaretts in this country from south america. Has intelligent thought and action just left the building?

By American worker

May 16, 2008 9:08 PM | Link to this

Chambliss is now against “amnesty”…but not so much that he would bring up the issue at the Ga. GOP convention.

Too many echos of the boos from last year.

He is for illegal alien legalization - but not until he is re-elected. Cool if Obama wins and ole’ Saxby can be seen siding with him on amnesty against the Ga. voters who will grudgingly send him back to office for 6 more years.

Suckers.

By James

May 16, 2008 9:20 PM | Link to this

Judging from the other comments, no one here operates a production farming enterprise, nor has any idea of the economic issues surrounding crop production. Addiltionally, GMO beans and corn are approved by all levels of regulatory bureaus in the USA, and the environomental advantages of utilizing genetically modified crops far exceeds that of ordinary, non-modified crops. The economics of agricultural production requires great stewardship of the land, hard work, advanced technological abilities, sound agronomic knowledge, superior management skills of capital, manpower, and equipment, and a committment to ever improving productin efficiencies. Risk managing all the variables associated with a farming enterprise is a trip. Forward pricing grain, and pre-purchasing inputs requires constant hands-on awareness of the markets and global impact of production, currency values, and the international petroleum market which ultimately impacts just about all the inputs we pre-purchase each year. In this volatile and charged economic climate, farmers can easily make marketing and purchasing mistakes resulting in personal economic crises. Since there are not many farmers left in this country, it is in the country’s best interest to keep those still farming actively producing. On most farms, the subsidy received from the government is the only profit we see. In fact, you might say, that the government asks us to grow crops at break even prices or sometimes even below break even and in turn they provide us a subsidy to keep us going. Now, I hear the same people complaining about subsidies who complain about high food prices, yet raw commodities are historically still underpriced. Given the fact that none of you want high prices for raw commodities for farmers, and given that none of you want farmers to receive subsidies, and given the fact that the average age of the U.S. farmer is about 57, who the hell do you think is going to raise your food in ten years if farming is not lucrative enough to lure some young blood into the industry? Perhaps you shall rely on China to provide you with plenty of good ol’ salmonella in your beef and chicken!

By james mulling

May 16, 2008 9:22 PM | Link to this

Everyones hand, is in some elses pocket in politics. Voteing for the over all candidate, that can carry out the will of the people, takes a person who can’t be bought by those who regulate policy by strongholding the influence of the media.

By james mulling

May 16, 2008 9:24 PM | Link to this

See truth hurts.

By DonA

May 16, 2008 9:31 PM | Link to this

I hate it that my farmer friends might have to sell one of their planes. Gee it sure is tough out there….

By Danny Boy in Gwinnett

May 16, 2008 10:34 PM | Link to this

On Friday, at a sparsely attended afternoon session, Chambliss took no chance that the farm bill might also provoke the crowd’s displeasure. He made no mention of the farm bill, or immigration.

Chambliss is a coward. But that is not news.

By Rich

May 16, 2008 10:54 PM | Link to this

I hope Prs .Bush will veto the farm bill…Fair is fair,cut down on “people welfare”..,then cut down on corporate welfare.

I have voted Rep for the last 36yrs. I’m for Oboma now.

By Rich

May 16, 2008 10:55 PM | Link to this

I hope Prs .Bush will veto the farm bill…Fair is fair,cut down on “people welfare”..,then cut down on corporate welfare.

I have voted Rep for the last 36yrs. I’m for Oboma now.

By tom ga hunter

May 17, 2008 6:35 AM | Link to this

QWhen I voted against Max 51/2 years ago I had no idea I was voting for a Pilosi pro immigration, big spending LIBERAL.. I won’t make that mistake again.. 3 Cheers for “W” veto that mother of all waste bill.. Saxby doesn’t realize McCain wants the Farm Bill Vetoed so he can also run against congress.

By GA Thinker

May 17, 2008 7:22 AM | Link to this

Dear Republicans,

May I be one of the first to tell you to start packing your bags. This is for those at both the Federal and Local levels. Your party has been an absolute joke to both Americans and Georgians while you’ve had the power. It’s now time to switch back to the other side.

Under your leadership at the Federal level, all you’ve given us are Wars, High Gas Prices, Out of the roof foreclosures and Scandals. At the local levels (Georgia Republicans), all you’ve given us are a Governor who signs a ridiculus Gun law bill, a Speaker of the House who thinks he controls everything and live above the law, and a Secretaty of State who has done nothing of substance but belittle her staff for her 1 1/2 years in office. What an absolute joke! All I can say is pack your bags……a change is coming!

P.S. If John Oxendine was to run for Governor as a Democrat, he would stand a better chance of winning that post.

By Sick and Tired

May 17, 2008 8:38 AM | Link to this

The great majority of the farm welfare goes to big corporate farms, not to the little guy. The news had a oil business specialist that stated the folks behind the speculation of oil are the extremely rich, no kidding? These altra rich are gouging us to get back the money they lost on the real estate debacle. I believe the Arabs on this one, they are pumping enough oil for demand. Our senators should be investigating who is behind the speculation and do some thing about it, not giving welfare to farmers just like our Governor just did with the gas tax bill. Vote both of our illegal alien loving Senators out before we have to press 1 for Spanish and 2 for Spanish.

By Bill Stafford

May 17, 2008 2:35 PM | Link to this

James the Production Farmer wants us to beleve that the business of farming is somehow different from any other business. If the government suggested to General Motors that they manufacture a Chevrolet model at break-even or at a loss, would GM do it? GM would introduce another model that could be sold at a profit. Taking gov’t subsidies while riding in a $300,000 tractor to produce a break-even crop hardly seems like good business-sense or even good sense, at all. Certainly farming is hard work and requires long hours. But so is any entreprenurial enterprise. In my own experience, I have tried twice to start my own business. Through poor business decisions comparable to planting a break-even crop, and since I didn’t have a Gov’t subsidy to fall back on, my efforts (and my money) went down the drain. Without question, farmers feed the nation but farming is a business and the farmer’s sweat equity should be invested in profitable crops, freeing up taxpayer money to pay down the National Debt.

By dharc

May 17, 2008 11:38 PM | Link to this

Monsanto is using hybrid seeds that cannot generate other seeds.Then they control the food supply.Control the food,guns overun the country with millions of Mexicans, declare martial law then these monsters will control us to our graves.Think it can’t happen?

By Tom Kiser

May 19, 2008 6:36 AM | Link to this

I am an American citizen. I am a fiscal conservative who believes that beyond providing effective leadership, governments have no substantial, constructive role to play in a nation’s social and economic issues. The idea that legislative programs can provide viable solutions to any problem other than process of governance problems is a fallacy.

I think that I, along with the majority of American citizens who are fiscal conservatives, I am caught in the middle. Politically, there are left wing liberals on one flank and there are right wing liberals on our other flank.

Liberal thinking is any thinking that is unburdened by facts and information.

Reality matters. The truth matters. Neither of our worse-than-worthless political parties allow themselves to be encumbered by truth and reality.

Great nations don’t just die. They are assassinated by the unthinking actions and the uncontrolled excesses of their governments.

By Dave

May 19, 2008 6:53 AM | Link to this

Saxby Chambliss is ok taking $300 billion from American taxpayers and giving it to large corporate farms, which is nothing more than corporate welfare. It is time they learn to compete like the American worker has to now. Saxby Chambliss your term limit is up, time for new blood the lobbyists have you on speed dial now.

By John Konop

May 19, 2008 7:53 AM | Link to this

This situation shows why the system is broken. Lobbyist money changers in Washington are driving policy via buying off both sides. As I said I will give Tom Price credit for speaking out against this bill.

We must put aside partisan politics and go after any lawmaker who sells us out! Also if we disagree with people in the past and they do the right thing we must support them standing up and doing the right thing!

http://controlcongress.com/uncategorized/saxby-sells-out

By John Konop

May 19, 2008 7:57 AM | Link to this

Immigration and Trade

Saxby Chambliss strongly supports an immigration policy that unfairly pits tax payer-subsidized immigrant labor against hard working American families.

Saxby also does the bidding of his globalist, corporate masters by falsely claiming we need more unfair trade, more outsourcing (to countries like China and India), and more immigration to:

Feed a labor shortage (How can there be a labor shortage if wages are falling?) “Do the jobs Americans won’t do” (Americans have always done our nation’s work—for a reasonable wage.) In truth the purpose of his immigration and trade votes is to drive down wages on behalf of his corporate campaign donors.

Out of Control Spending

Saxby Chambliss has not found a pork bill he did not like: from the Highway Bill with its Bridge to Nowhere to the Energy Bill that gave billions to oil companies away while gas prices soar. Saxby’s irresponsible spending has put America close to $9 trillion in the red. The General Accounting office has warned Saxby that his addiction to pork spending will bankrupt our country.

Education

Saxby Chambliss is a strong supporter of the scandal-ridden, pork-filled No Child Left Behind legislation. Any honest school administrator will tell you this Big Government program has failed our kids and driven school expenses way up. The only winners are corporate lobbyists (who buy support for the program though campaign donations).

By GeorgiaValues

May 19, 2008 8:47 AM | Link to this

Saxby is 100% opposed to Amnesty

DA King and is always looking for ways to scare people into paying to join his organization.

Saxby has repeatedly worked to secure our borders and prevent amnesty.

DA King is a fraud.

By tom ga hunter

May 19, 2008 9:03 AM | Link to this

GeorgiaValues..

Say hello to your pop for me.. How is the shake down, LOBBIEST business doing.. I know your Dad is really up set at the illness of his best bud Teddy Kennedy. We all know youe dad was for open borders & complete amenesty before he was against it & will be for it again after the election. How stupid do you think people are?

By Pat

May 23, 2008 3:43 AM | Link to this

Well it is nice to see that there are so many experts on the farm bill. Well here are some facts that one can find anywhere on the internet. You will see that I refer to the farm bill as the food bill for obvious reasons.

The following is a breakdown of the food bill. 67% or about $200 billion is for food stamps and other domestic programs (emergency food assistance, school lunches, etc.); 14% or about $43 billion for crop subsidies; 9% or about $27 billion for conversation programs to set aside or protect environmental sensitive farmland; 8% or about $23 billion for crop insurance for farmers to protect against losses.

Now to address the issue of corporate welfare in agriculture. As I see it, the welfare is in the food stamps and other domestic programs since it takes the vast majority of the food bill. So yes, get rid of the corporate welfare by taking away food stamps for the poor and school lunch programs for your own children. That would save the government (and you) about $200 billion. Gee, it doesn’t look so much like corporate welfare now does it?

The business of agriculture is somehow different than other businesses according James the Production Farmer, or so Bill doesn’t believe. Well, yes, it is the very same in many ways and very different in one way and that difference is what makes it so important. You see there are only 3 things that a person needs in order to survive. Air, water and food, everything there after is a luxury. If you don’t believe me just ask a person that is just about to starve to death in Africa or any other country on this planet. Or ask a German soldier from WWII when Hitler ordered his soldiers to march and fight without food. Moral deteriorated very quickly and they were no match for the Allied forces. The point that I’m making is that food, cheap food, is very important to our society. Your government knows this very well and that is why there is a food program to ensure that there is an abundant and cheap food supply for the people of this country.

As for myself, yes I am a farmer and no I don’t own any planes. I drive a 1992 Chevy pickup on my farm and my wife drives a 2006 Buick car to her job. I agree that some farmers make very good money and others that don’t. It depends upon the size and scope of their respective operations. Hence, the more one risks, the greater the reward should be.

Now if nothing I said will get you to understand the workings of this food bill, then I suggest you follow the old saying “if you can’t beat them, join them”. Go out and buy some farmland, some equipment and spend a 1/2 million dollars or more in order to get a check from the government. Good luck!

By tom ga hunter

May 23, 2008 6:08 AM | Link to this

Pat

Call Saxby’s Lobbiest son, all your problems will be solved with a Contribution.. that is of course if you are a Millionair.. everyone knows the small farmer gets screwed by this bill as most of the comments say.

By Kevin Finley

July 25, 2008 10:43 AM | Link to this

Time for Saxby to go. Too many times over the last 6 years he has shown his true blue color. Isakson better wake up as well.