Stop the Government Takeover of Farming!

Stop government spending! Stop wasteful spending! Stop spending!

Its a chorus we've been hearing for months now from the Republicans. Government can't create jobs. Government spending is wasteful! Blah blah blah. What all that really means, according to my Republican-to-English dictionary is "we only like it when the government spends on things WE like, such as agriculture subsidies". From RedState:

The ethanol mandates are one of the most regressive socialist interventions into the free market that have been peddled by the progressives. Unfortunately, many Republicans, red state ones at that, are signing onto the extension of these backdoor taxes on food and fuel....

According to analysts at Goldman Sachs, the ethanol industry consumes 41% of the domestic corn crop. Corn is at the top of the food chain, so by creating an artificial shortage in supply of corn, the feds have caused a spike in the cost of meat and chicken as well. In addition, it costs much more to produce a barrel of ethanol than it does a barrel of oil.

Yet, 6 Republicans joined seven Democrats in penning a letter to Harry Reid and Mitch McConnell demanding that the subsidies be renewed before the end of this congress.

Here is a list of the Republicans who signed the letter together with their socialist compatriots.

Chuck Grassley 

Kit Bond

Sam Brownback

John Thune

Mike Johanns

Mark Kirk 

Mark Kirk is no surprise. He has wasted no time in voting with the democrats on virtually every issue since the minute he took office. The rest of these guys are from red states. Did we gain anything from the midterm elections, or did it never take place? Kit Bond and Sam Brownback are retiring and it remains to be seen if Moran and Blunt will be any better on this issue. Chuck Grassley? Well, he is …. Chuck Grassley after all. Johanns and Thune are really upsetting. Is this the best we can do from ruby red states? John Thune should kiss his bid for the presidency goodbye.

It really isn't shocking. But someone needs to call them on their BS. How can you support $7.7 BILLION DOLLARS in wasteful government spending on Ethanol subsidies and call yourself a fiscal conservative? How can you support that when you can't extend unemployment insurance? How can you support that and be against real stimulus projects like high speed rail?

Now, look, I don't blame them. If I were a Senator from an Ag state, you would bet your sweet ass I would vote for every single subsidy I could think of. Its what Senators are supposed to do. What I do have a problem with, and apparently the True Believers (tm) over at RedState do too, is that if you are against government waste, spending, and stupid subsidies, than at least be consistent in your opposition. Stand on principle and end this waste.

Again, this is why this blog exists. The rift between the pragmatic wing of the Republican Party (can't call them the establishment anymore because the lines are too blurry) who realize that you can get some pretty good stuff from the government and teh crazy wing of True Believers (tm) who demand ideological purity. There are only two outcomes: the pragmatists keep doing what they are doing and get primaried in 2012 (or whenever) or completely capitulate to teh crazy.

RedState.