watching my corn pop up in rows

The "maverick" is touting his disagreements with Washington establishment again. At least, that is what neo-cons and his campaign would like anyone watching the progress of the Farm Bill to believe. They are touting the fact that Obama is for the Farm Bill (never mind that he didn't actually vote) and that McCain is against it--so Obama is upholding the subsidies given to wealthy farmers and McCain is stepping in to prevent pork-barrel politics.

Now, if US citizens actually paid attention to the FB--which they should, considering it is a $370 billion package that encompasses everything from food production to prices to international aid to environmental conservation--they would not fall for the likes of David Brooks when he writes in the NYT that Obama is the one serving special interest groups.

First, let's break down this bill. According to CNN.com, $300 billion of the bill goes toward nutrition programs. $40 billion is for subsidies. And $30 billion is for environmental conservation. In no universe (save maybe those entrepreneurs minimally involved in farming who make nearly $1M and receive subsidies) is this bill a quality bill. It does nothing to change the industrial mindset of agriculture in this country. The conservation measures, although authorized in funding, will likely not receive the actual funds.

But to call McCain a maverick for voting against is to obscure truth about his motives. The primary problem with the FB is that--as Bush noted as he vetoed the bill--it hampers US farmers' access to foreign markets. McCain, above almost anything else, is an economic liberal who believes that markets should stay open and free at any expense. When the US subsidizes its farmers, it creates limitations in global trade. International law does not allow for subsidized agriculture to be traded freely.

For those who don't understand why unrestrained free trade in agriculture actually creates hunger rather than alleviates it, take the example of Mexico. Because of NAFTA, US farmers sell their corn in Mexico. However, due to the low cost of production of corn in the US, corn from here sells at a lower price. Considering the rural economy of Mexico, the price undercut forces many from work as farmers due to the lack of profit. Farmers can't compete, they move to the city, they don't earn money...it's a compounding process. And now prices for imported corn have increased due to the use of ethanol as an "alternative" fuel (don't get me started) and there is a lack of production within Mexico, so those that are poor cannot afford their traditional sustenance, the tortilla. Did you know that with beans, a tortilla makes a complete protein? Therefore, even if an individual is only able to obtain beans and tortillas, they can remain relatively healthy. However, due to the high price of corn and lack of supply, Mexicans are turning to processed foods such as Cup'o'noodles.

Advocating trade that is unabashedly free rather than fair does little to help anyone except corporations. It has far-reaching effects that change peoples' lives throughout the globe. While it would be wonderful if both McCain and Obama would speak out against the subsidies included in the Farm Bill, to laud McCain for voting against it only obscures the larger picture. The problem with this farm bill is not that it's doing too much for agribusiness, but rather it is doing too little.


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