The Briefing Room
General Category => Editorial/Opinion/Blogs => Topic started by: Free Vulcan on May 16, 2018, 04:46:44 pm
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Cognitive dissonance is common in Washington, but some cases truly are exceptional. One is the ritual of the farm bill, when Republicans who campaign on “free markets†whoop through corporate welfare for agriculture interests. But maybe there’s a stroke of sense coming on sugar subsidies.
Republican Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina is making a run at reforming the U.S. sugar program with an amendment to the farm bill that may hit the House floor as soon as this week. This program is arguably the worst farm subsidy, which is saying something, featuring a menagerie of sweetened loans, restrictions on sales and import quotas for some of America’s richest people.
The point is to keep prices artificially high and enrich large sugar producers, who aren’t paupers but nonetheless demand this help to maintain their station. Many producers live in Florida, which is why Senator Marco Rubio periodically embarrasses himself by supporting sugar welfare.
Read more at: https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-chance-for-sugar-welfare-reform-1526425434 (https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-chance-for-sugar-welfare-reform-1526425434)