Bloomberg: Farmers and machinists are not too bright

[AM64]

Imagine being all of that but still can't sell your corn and depend on Government bailouts.

Which came first ... farmers growing crops that people willingly buy or government subsidies to produce crops that go in worthless stuff like ethanol? I'd like the free market to decide - not a bunch of clowns sitting in DC listening to the latest and greatest of scams that they need to make work for somebody (and tangentially for their own pockets). Farming is hard work, and it's risky based on market, crop yield, and environmental effects, but without government meddling in the who, what, when, how kind of stuff, farmers might figure out what works, and then we can see if the rest of us can afford it. Who knows, we might even find a way to get the Con out of Agra and not give a damn about ADM.

 

[Mick]

Which came first ... farmers growing crops that people willingly buy or government subsidies to produce crops that go in worthless stuff like ethanol? I'd like the free market to decide - not a bunch of clowns sitting in DC listening to the latest and greatest of scams that they need to make work for somebody (and tangentially for their own pockets). Farming is hard work, and it's risky based on market, crop yield, and environmental effects, but without government meddling in the who, what, when, how kind of stuff, farmers might figure out what works, and then we can see if the rest of us can afford it. Who knows, we might even find a way to get the Con out of Agra and not give a damn about ADM.

I'm sure you don't really want a free market. Well if you do and still support Trumps tariffs, I don't know what to tell you.

 

[GVF]

I agree. An elderly patient might not survive surgery or treatment. My mother had dementia and was diagnosed with breast cancer. We elected to do a lumpectomy and daily chemo pills instead of the radical surgery. Mom did fine and the cancer did not return. Honestly, my sister and I believed that slowly dying of dementia-related issues was worse than losing a shorter battle with cancer. I am not sure if there is a right answer in that kind of situation.

You would be right in saying there is no right answer there, but that short term battle with cancer is brutal in itself, and not a better way to go. Just quicker.

 

[GVF]

My ex father in law ( a Nebraska farmer ) the first time he visited Tennessee made a funny comment that’s always stuck with me . He said it’s funny , down here you guys plant the crops around the trees and at home we plant the trees around the crops . I didn’t really get the full understanding of that until I moved to Nebraska .

Been to Nebraska once in 8th grade. Thank God dad didn't take that job at UN.

 

[0nelilreb]

Been to Nebraska once in 8th grade. Thank God dad didn't take that job at UN.

It’s different for sure , especially growing up in the south . I ended up buying a house in Lincoln . That was before it grew to what it is today .

 

[GVF]

It’s different for sure , especially growing up in the south . I ended up buying a house in Lincoln . That was before it grew to what it is today .

Lincoln is where we went. Being 8th grade it was probably 1978ish. It was February. So, the snow piled 6 feet high on the edges of the roads and sidewalks didn't help endear any of us. It was like walking in a maze. And like most Great Plains states, urban areas were compact, and the rest was farming for the country, or government land. When we went house hunting, you could see nothing but rooftops and a very occasional tree. Then it all abruptly ended, and the farm land began. there was no fading into it. I found Helena, MT to be very similar that way.

 

[AM64]

I'm sure you don't really want a free market. Well if you do and still support Trumps tariffs, I don't know what to tell you.

I do pretty much want a free market, but we've got a real problem with that. In HS (back in the dark ages - like 1960) I remember sitting in a class thinking about how our costs of production were rising disproportionately with the rest of the world because of organized labor. This was in the day when the cars on the road were made by the big three. and when the UAW struck one manufacturer every year and then the other two had to capitulate to the deal. Government protected the unions: the UAW could pay striking Ford workers with income from Chrysler and GM workers, and they could also expect Teamsters et al to show a little love and some pressure to force a deal, but our wonderful antitrust laws only worked one way ... GM and Chrysler couldn't help Ford avoid having to settle. Guess which party always wanted union support and protected unions?

Anyway when globalists stepped in we were screwed ... a deal of our own making but largely one created by government intervention. There's always going to be pain dealing with that one ... rolling back wages to be competitive with the rest of the world isn't going to be popular, but when you pay people not to work or not to work at something productive, that carries it's own burden. Whether you apply tariffs to help that is a good question - probably not if you let the old stuff keep on happening. Tariffs against aggressors like China who manipulate trade - sure - every day of the week and twice on weekends ... and jack them up the next week.

 

[hog88]

I'm sure you don't really want a free market. Well if you do and still support Trumps tariffs, I don't know what to tell you.

I'd love for our agricultural products to be unencumbered by price controls and subsidies, produced and sold on the free market. Most of our population wouldn't like it but hey maybe it would cure our obesity issues.

 

[AM64]

It’s different for sure , especially growing up in the south . I ended up buying a house in Lincoln . That was before it grew to what it is today .

My dad was from KS. I fully understand why he chose TN over KS after an AF career.

 

[0nelilreb]

My dad was from KS. I fully understand why he chose TN over KS after an AF career.

It’s the wind man , the wind I tell you ! Lol

 

[MWR]

Way more.

And that probably won't be enough.

 

[Mick]

I'd love for our agricultural products to be unencumbered by price controls and subsidies, produced and sold on the free market. Most of our population wouldn't like it but hey maybe it would cure our obesity issues.

Why would cheap food cure obesity?

 

[AM64]

I'd love for our agricultural products to be unencumbered by price controls and subsidies, produced and sold on the free market. Most of our population wouldn't like it but hey maybe it would cure our obesity issues.

Remember the good ole days when we used real sugar as a sweetener and a tomato tasted like a tomato rather than just not much of anything.

 

[hog88]

Why would cheap food cure obesity?

You think getting rid of subsidies and price controls are going to lead to "cheap food"?

 

[0nelilreb]

You think getting rid of subsidies and price controls are going to lead to "cheap food"?

Yes course he does . Hes already said farmers don’t play the market , they just hope the market is good .

 

[Mick]

You think getting rid of subsidies and price controls are going to lead to "cheap food"?

Yes.

How Farm Subsidies Harm Taxpayers, Consumers, and Farmers, Too

 

[hog88]

Yes.

How Farm Subsidies Harm Taxpayers, Consumers, and Farmers, Too

Didn't read the article did you?

It's not a bad piece of work although it does sensationalize somethings for effect.

Farm subsidies are intended to alleviate farmer poverty, but the majority of subsidies go to commercial farms with average incomes of $200,000 and net worths of nearly $2 million.

Less $200K a year income for a farmer is a hobby farmer and land is included in net worth so that bullet point is sensationalism.

Then you have to go all the way to the end of the article to find out why they say subsidies increase the cost of food. Their point is accurate however they completely ignore that farmers and co-ops are for the most part prevented from setting prices on their products. If all subsides and controls were removed you can bet your sweet azz that would end and prices would go up.

Yes, there would be a whole lot of small farms that would go under, many would be gobbled up by larger operations. And production would be like a factory, only enough produced to keep the price at a profitable level.

 

[AM64]

Didn't read the article did you?

It's not a bad piece of work although it does sensationalize somethings for effect.



Less $200K a year income for a farmer is a hobby farmer and land is included in net worth so that bullet point is sensationalism.

Then you have to go all the way to the end of the article to find out why they say subsidies increase the cost of food. Their point is accurate however they completely ignore that farmers and co-ops are for the most part prevented from setting prices on their products. If all subsides and controls were removed you can bet your sweet azz that would end and prices would go up.

Yes, there would be a whole lot of small farms that would go under, many would be gobbled up by larger operations. And production would be like a factory, only enough produced to keep the price at a profitable level.

If the Manhattan Institute was in Manhattan,KS rather than Manhattan, NY, they'd probably understand some of those other things. Ever notice how things like this one from a conservative think tank generally make more sense than the ones from liberal think tanks ... even when the researcher is far removed from his subject?

 

[GVF]

It’s the wind man , the wind I tell you ! Lol

That's an understatement. Two years in Abilene, TX and there was not one single day that there wasn't a slight breeze up to a gale force wind. And sitting on the balcony watching tornados drop in the distance like lead balloons was frequent entertainment.

 

[VolStrom]

I lived in Kansas for a couple of years growing up. The only thing memorable about it was watching an escaped convict from Leavenworth break through our front door and run down the hallway soon followed by my dad with a baseball bat and a few seconds later a couple of MP's. Life in the military!

 

[AM64]

I lived in Kansas for a couple of years growing up. The only thing memorable about it was watching an escaped convict from Leavenworth break through our front door and run down the hallway soon followed by my dad with a baseball bat and a few seconds later a couple of MP's. Life in the military!

My daughter in law's parents live in Leavenworth ... I always think perhaps I need to explain not in that Leavenworth. Didn't get to see the base when we visited her parents a couple of years ago, but I hope it works out the next time. Her dad was telling me he'd love to show me part of the library (I guess Command and General Staff College), but that part is classified; he knows I'm kinda addicted to military history.

 

[VolStrom]

My daughter in law's parents live in Leavenworth ... I always think perhaps I need to explain not in that Leavenworth. Didn't get to see the base when we visited her parents a couple of years ago, but I hope it works out the next time. Her dad was telling me he'd love to show me part of the library (I guess Command and General Staff College), but that part is classified; he knows I'm kinda addicted to military history.

I started kindergarten there. On my first day and I know this will shock people, I was taking the bus home and the driver of the bus let me off on the first stop several miles from our housing. Luckily my dad was driving back from lunch and saw me walking along the sidewalk. You should have seen the ass chewing that soldier that drove the bus got the next morning, it was brutal.

 

[AM64]

I started kindergarten there. On my first day and I know this will shock people, I was taking the bus home and the driver of the bus let me off on the first stop several miles from our housing. Luckily my dad was driving back from lunch and saw me walking along the sidewalk. You should have seen the ass chewing that soldier that drove the bus got the next morning, it was brutal.

I was somewhere beyond the first couple of grades before I learned school buses weren't AF blue. BTW I spent parts of several summers with my grandparents just south of Olathe. It's amazing to see that Olathe is to KC (on steroids) what Murfreesboro is to Nashville.

 

[W.TN.Orange Blood]

I lived in Kansas for a couple of years growing up. The only thing memorable about it was watching an escaped convict from Leavenworth break through our front door and run down the hallway soon followed by my dad with a baseball bat and a few seconds later a couple of MP's. Life in the military!

I laughed.......that's funny to visualize in my mind's eye.

 

[utvolpj]

I started kindergarten there. On my first day and I know this will shock people, I was taking the bus home and the driver of the bus let me off on the first stop several miles from our housing. Luckily my dad was driving back from lunch and saw me walking along the sidewalk. You should have seen the ass chewing that soldier that drove the bus got the next morning, it was brutal.

Why is that shocking? I have one in K now and he has ridden the bus since day one. His brother has too