Cruz flips vote on ag issue critical for Iowa Other fiscal conservatives opposed $3 billion in subsidies for crop insurance.

[flowers]

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/12/ted-cruz-flips-vote-crop-insurance-cuts-216432

With the Iowa caucuses less than two months away, Ted Cruz seemed to have an epiphany Thursday night on one of the state's — and agricultural lobby's — biggest issues in Congress.

Cruz (R-Texas) initially voted with fiscal hardliners to retain $3 billion in crop insurance cuts that were made as part of a budget deal approved in October. After a visit to the Senate cloakroom, Cruz returned and flipped his vote to side with farming interests, which ultimately prevailed. The crop insurance votes were part of a debate on a highway bill, which Cruz opposed on a final vote, calling it fiscally irresponsible.

Presidential rival and Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) also joined the popular effort to protect the restoration of the crop insurance money but voted against the final bill. After taking several minutes deliberating whether to side with farmers, Rubio drew sarcastic applause from his colleagues during the draining seven-hour voting slog on Thursday night. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), also running for president, voted for the crop insurance funding and the overall highway bill.

[Carling]

At this point of our history $3b for crop subsidies is about 97th on my list of concerns, rating right behind gay marriage.

It just doesn't matter to me anymore when we have Democrats deliberately putting American lives in danger on American soil.

[Free Vulcan]

I'm not sure how they call this a subsidy. Unless crop insurance has changed, the farmer buys it and pays the premium, the govt pays out only if the crop fails due to natural disaster, just like any other insurance would. It's one of the few things the govt does right these days.