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Bush Vetoes Farm Bill

As expected, President George W. Bush vetoed the $300 billion farm bill today, citing high costs and numerous giveaways to wealthy farmers. Many outside

Jul 31, 202097 Shares96.6K Views
As expected, President George W. Bush vetoed the $300 billion farm bill today, citing high costs and numerous giveaways to wealthy farmers. Many outside observersagree, including a long list of conservative groupswho question the logic of granting farm subsidies even as crop prices are soaring and farmers are earning record incomes.
But those criticisms have done nothing to prevent even conservative farm state lawmakers from trumpeting the bill as the greatest compromise since Ghent. And in the wake of today’s veto, the press releases began to fly.
One example, from Sen. Saxby Chambliss (Ga.), the highest ranking Republican on the Senate Agriculture Committee:
We have crafted a bipartisan and fiscally responsible farm bill and it should become law. Our farmers and ranchers have waited too long for a new farm bill and I will urge my colleagues to over ride the veto.
The entire episode is for show. Both the House and Senate passed the billwith enormous, veto-proof margins. All that’s left is for future generations to pick up the tab.
Hajra Shannon

Hajra Shannon

Reviewer
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