The Milk Price Cliff

[No Elephants]

By

Lindsey Boerma /
CBS News/ December 30, 2012, 7:20 PM
Deal to avert milk price hike may not come up for vote

<snip/

After months of agriculture committee leaders cautioning against a temporary farm bill, the agreement comes as a last-ditch effort to avoid what would be $6 to $8-a-gallon milk if Congress doesn't pass some type of measure to replace the farm law that expired nearly three months ago. Technically, the United States has been operating under a 1949 "permanent" law since Oct. 1, but its drastic and antiquated effects would begin to take effect in January.



House Agriculture Committee Chairman Frank Lucas, R-Okla., just this month conceded that a one-year extension may be the most realistic scenario for the "dairy cliff" as lawmakers hurtle toward a year's end tunnel-focused on the more highly publicized "fiscal cliff". In a statement today, Lucas acknowledged, "Clearly, it is no longer possible to enact a five-year farm bill in this Congress. Given this reality, the responsible thing to do - and the course of action I have long encouraged if a five-year bill was not possible - is to extend the 2008 legislation for one year. This provides certainty to our producers and critical disaster assistance to those affected by record drought conditions.

"The one year extension," he continued, "...is not perfect - no compromise ever is - but it is my sincere hope that it will pass the House and Senate and be signed by the President by January 1."

Meanwhile, until today, lawmakers in the Senate Agriculture Committee had remained steadfastly resolute that extending the 2008 law shouldn't be an option. Between having to scramble for additional funding for already-expired programs and extending payment for disaster assistance, which was significant this year following a prolonged Midwest drought, they argued, any temporary measure would cost more than a full five-year bill, without offering any spending cuts.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-250_162-57561289/deal-to-avert-milk-price-hike-may-not-come-up-for-vote/

Truman claimed he had a "do nothing Congress." We have a "do nothing good for the 99%" government.

Think hard. What was the last thing that came out of D.C. that was really good for the 99%?



I can think of things that were horrific for the Constitution, and therefore for our nation and our national sould and well-being.

I can think of things that had a crumb or two for the 99% with a baker's dozen of goodies for the 1%.

I can think of things that were horrific for the 99%.

But, I may have to go back to Johnson for domestic policy. That's a lot of Republican and Democratic Presidents ago and a lot of Democratic and Republican Congresses ago. Then again, Johnson's foreign policy..... Jimmeh, very good on foreign policy, but, according to Ted Kennedy, did not want to sign Kennedy's single payer health care bill, negotiated him down to using existing systems, then slowed further negotiations.

meh. Fuck 'em all.

[formercia]

1. I know a Dairyman

He would go broke if he tried making a living off of selling Milk, and he has some of the best Milkers in the World. He gets $35K or more for a Heifer. Last time I was at his Farm, he was getting one ready to ship to Saudi Arabia.
Unfortunately, the Farmers will only get a small if any increase.

[Enthusiast]

2. We had best cut social security and medicare so we can afford to

continue farm subsidies? It is the Bush tax cuts and two RIDICULOUS wars coming back to haunt us. I fear we will be the ones getting fucked.