McCain's Anti-Ag
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By -
Today I would like to share with you why I believe Senator McCain would be a devastating choice for rural communities.
The best way to start off would be by quoting Senator Tom Harkin when he said, "I would have a hard time telling you when John McCain has ever stepped forward to help us on rural issues." Let's continue with some facts regarding Senator McCain's voting record on rural issues. (Information provided by the campaign.) He voted against the 1985, 1996 and 2002 Farm Bills and was not present for the vote on the 2007 Farm Bill. He voted against the Farmer-Owned Grain Reserve, which pays farmers to store their crops when prices are low. (S 1541, 2/7/96, Roll call 12) He voted in favor of modifying acreage reduction requirements for wheat and feed grains that are triggered by carry-over stocks. (S 2830, 7/20/90, Roll call 163) He voted in favor of continuing the 1985 Farm Bill formula on the loan and purchase authority for wheat and feed grains with the intent of eliminating the floor on loan rates. (S 2830, 7/24/90, Roll call 167.) He voted against killing an amendment to the 2002 Farm Bill that would strike the dairy provision from the bill and instead make direct fixed payments to dairy producers equal to 31.5 cents per hundred pounds of milk produced annually. (S 1731, 2/13/02, Roll call 29.)
He voted against increasing dairy price supports from $10.10 per hundredweight to $11.10 and creating a voluntary supply management program. (H J Res 157, 11/22/91, Roll call 266.) He voted against a bill to authorize a paid diversion program for dairy producers and a producer-financed dairy promotion program. (HR 4196, 11/9/83, Roll call 443.) He voted to kill an amendment to the FY 1998 Agriculture Dept. spending bill to provide $5 million for outreach efforts and start-up grants for state school breakfast programs for low-income children. (S 1033, 7/24/97, Roll call 387) He voted against the bill to raise income eligibility standards and reduce student prices for federally subsidized lunches and breakfasts. (HR 4091, 10/25/83, Roll call 189.) He voted against providing farmers with $2.4 billion in emergency assistance to farmers with qualified income losses in 2001 (S 1731, 2/12/02, Roll call 25) He voted against $8.2 billion between 2000 and 2005 for federal crop insurance program (HR 2559, 5/25/00, Roll call 115 ).
If this evidence isn't enough for farmers to vote against McCain in the fall, how about the fact that until he started to run for president he had been consistently trying to squash legislation promoting renewable energy plans such as ethanol and poultry waste that would utilize farmers? He has worked hard to kill legislation regarding ag research that would streamline farming making it safer and more efficient.
How can our county afford someone in office who has proven that he is so anti-heartland, despite what he says in his 30-second sound bytes?
In the next few days I will share with you Senator Obama's plans to boost rural communities and make us more competitive creating jobs, incentives and global opportunities.
Joshua Bartman
Warsaw, via e-mail[[In-content Ad]]
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Today I would like to share with you why I believe Senator McCain would be a devastating choice for rural communities.
The best way to start off would be by quoting Senator Tom Harkin when he said, "I would have a hard time telling you when John McCain has ever stepped forward to help us on rural issues." Let's continue with some facts regarding Senator McCain's voting record on rural issues. (Information provided by the campaign.) He voted against the 1985, 1996 and 2002 Farm Bills and was not present for the vote on the 2007 Farm Bill. He voted against the Farmer-Owned Grain Reserve, which pays farmers to store their crops when prices are low. (S 1541, 2/7/96, Roll call 12) He voted in favor of modifying acreage reduction requirements for wheat and feed grains that are triggered by carry-over stocks. (S 2830, 7/20/90, Roll call 163) He voted in favor of continuing the 1985 Farm Bill formula on the loan and purchase authority for wheat and feed grains with the intent of eliminating the floor on loan rates. (S 2830, 7/24/90, Roll call 167.) He voted against killing an amendment to the 2002 Farm Bill that would strike the dairy provision from the bill and instead make direct fixed payments to dairy producers equal to 31.5 cents per hundred pounds of milk produced annually. (S 1731, 2/13/02, Roll call 29.)
He voted against increasing dairy price supports from $10.10 per hundredweight to $11.10 and creating a voluntary supply management program. (H J Res 157, 11/22/91, Roll call 266.) He voted against a bill to authorize a paid diversion program for dairy producers and a producer-financed dairy promotion program. (HR 4196, 11/9/83, Roll call 443.) He voted to kill an amendment to the FY 1998 Agriculture Dept. spending bill to provide $5 million for outreach efforts and start-up grants for state school breakfast programs for low-income children. (S 1033, 7/24/97, Roll call 387) He voted against the bill to raise income eligibility standards and reduce student prices for federally subsidized lunches and breakfasts. (HR 4091, 10/25/83, Roll call 189.) He voted against providing farmers with $2.4 billion in emergency assistance to farmers with qualified income losses in 2001 (S 1731, 2/12/02, Roll call 25) He voted against $8.2 billion between 2000 and 2005 for federal crop insurance program (HR 2559, 5/25/00, Roll call 115 ).
If this evidence isn't enough for farmers to vote against McCain in the fall, how about the fact that until he started to run for president he had been consistently trying to squash legislation promoting renewable energy plans such as ethanol and poultry waste that would utilize farmers? He has worked hard to kill legislation regarding ag research that would streamline farming making it safer and more efficient.
How can our county afford someone in office who has proven that he is so anti-heartland, despite what he says in his 30-second sound bytes?
In the next few days I will share with you Senator Obama's plans to boost rural communities and make us more competitive creating jobs, incentives and global opportunities.
Joshua Bartman
Warsaw, via e-mail[[In-content Ad]]
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