Taking From the Poor to Give to the Rich

Dear Mr. President,

An article in today’s NYT (“Billionaires Received U.S. Farm Subsidies, Report Finds” p. A19) is a perfect example of what’s wrong with America today, how the system is rigged, rewards the rich and punishes the poor. Republicans and Democrats play a shell game, trade places periodically but both serve the rich while at best ignoring and at worst plundering the poor. “The federal government paid $11.3 million in taxpayer-funded farm subsidies from 1995 to 2012 to 50 billionaires or businesses in which they have some form of ownership, according to a report released Thursday by the Environmental Working Group.” Among the recipients are Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft (net worth $16 billion); Charles Schwab ($5 billion); S. Truett Cathy, owner of Chick-fil-A ($4 billion); and the oil and banking tycoon, George Kaiser ($10 billion). In aggregate, the 50 billionaires are worth about $316 billion so it’s not like they really needed the government subsidies (welfare for the rich!) but the 47 million people who depend on food stamps sure do and that program got cut by $5 billion on November 1, and more cuts coming. Senate legislation is proposing $4.5 billion in future cuts; the House, $40 billion. And the billionaire farmers not only got direct subsidies but “crop insurance” in addition, another government handout. Crop insurance, unlike direct subsidies, has no upper limit on payouts and, by law, individuals receiving it cannot be identified as can the recipients of direct subsidies, a feature clearly dreamed up by politicians in the (very deep) pockets of gentlemen farmers. So while Senators and Representatives are busy cutting from the food stamp program, they’re raising farm subsidies and proposing that direct subsidy money be shifted to the “crop insurance” program so it’s limitless and unreportable. And that’s not all. They’re also proposing drug tests, work requirements and income means-testing for food stamp recipients. (Wouldn’t it be fair to impose the same requirements on farm subsidies for billionaires?) I realize you’re not in control of this legislation but I don’t hear you objecting either. I know you’re busy—covering for the NSA, figuring out how to grab Snowden and silence him forever, and defending the Obamacare fiasco—but you could show a little concern for this injustice. You wonder why people are pissed off at government? Right here’s the answer, Mr. President. The farm bill that takes from the poor to give to the rich.