Why Do We Have To Settle For Less?

This is in response to “Trying to do more with less” by Bob Goodlatte, published in the Horizon section of the Roanoke Times on May 13th, 2007.

To many of the citizens of our great country, evidence continues to mount that our legislative policies are being dictated by “big business and special interest groups.” I would like to make the case for our small and mid-size farmers in Western Virginia that are often underrepresented in an equation that favors large farmers.

There are two basic ways to help the average farmer in Virginia: (1) through subsidies and similar programs and (2) by decreasing input costs, namely the costs of energy and feed. Our incumbent congressman has said that “unfortunately, the budget for the farm bill is significantly smaller than it was in 2002,” essentially stating that funding for subsidies will not increase and will likely decrease. In my view funding for subsidies and loan programs is “significantly smaller” largely for two reasons: (1) the funding and resources being allocated to the Iraq war, estimated at $8 billion a month and (2) the tax cuts of 2001 and 2003, where over two-thirds of the benefits went to the top 20% income earners in America.

In partisan politics, we often focus on what we do not agree upon, attempting to demonize the opposition. As a result, little is accomplished. I propose that we focus instead on situations in which we can build a consensus across party lines and socio-economic differences. Most can agree that energy prices in our region have increased significantly over the past 10 years, yet large oil firms have little problem posting record oil profits. Exxon-Mobile posted a $39.6 billion record profit last year. This amount was not just the largest profit ever recorded for the oil giant, but the largest annual profit for any company in U.S. history.

These rising energy prices are our real concern, as they play the major role in the question of rising input costs for our farmers, more specifically the cost of feed. The major components of feed are corn and other crops that have been used as sources of alternatives to gasoline or bio-fuels. The increased demand for these crops has led to a subsequent increase in feed costs. So farmers feel the energy pinch in two ways with increases in fuel costs and feed costs.

I am not a farmer, but as a small business owner, I can sympathize with the small and mid-size farmers of our region that must operate in an erratic industry. When Washington D.C. has no real answers for working America, citizens are often fed some alternative propaganda on positive changes to legislation like our “farm bill.” Why aren't more legislators inquiring about record oil profits while the rest of the country is subsidizing the pockets of a few rich elite? Every company has the right to make a profit, but we should be realistic about deciphering between prices in a “free market” and pricing in an industry that has become an oligopoly with power in the hands of a few.

How can our legislators look farmers of our district in the eye and claim to be working to help them, when we are hard pressed to find representatives that are not influenced by big business to fight for working middle America?