A Usenet persona calling itself Michael Daly wrote:

On 12-Feb-2005, Scott Weiser wrote:

Welfare is a drain on the system consisting
of money given to people who produce nothing in return.

Like the military-industrial complex.

Which produces many products the government uses, and provides us with peace
through superior firepower, something the EU can be thankful for, given how
much of our military technology they use.


it places our nation at
strategic risk for us to be dependent on other nations for our basic food
supplies.

But not oil. Bizarre contradiction.

Oil is a concern because we don't have sufficient domestic supplies to meet
our needs. So, we secure our external oil supplies other ways.


Government protection of agriculture merely
ensures that American farmers don't go out of business because of low crop
prices.

Even if it means that the products are simply stored and never consumed?

Oh, it usually gets consumed, eventually. There's nothing wrong with
stockpiling food, and if it isn't needed, we usually export it or turn it
into something else we can use.

That's not support, that's corporate welfare.

Wrong.

--
Regards,
Scott Weiser

"I love the Internet, I no longer have to depend on
friends, family and co-workers, I can annoy people WORLDWIDE!" TM

© 2005 Scott Weiser

On 15-Feb-2005, Scott Weiser wrote:

Which produces many products the government uses, and provides us with peace
through superior firepower, something the EU can be thankful for, given how
much of our military technology they use.

The vast majority of military spending provides nothing. Just read
economist Joan Robinson.

Oh, it usually gets consumed, eventually.

You're talking thru your hat. Better check on the history of
US agricultural supports and their "strategic" food stores.
They sit there doing nothing then get destroyed. Grains, butter,
oil seeds, you name it. All done for no other reason than to
prop up US prices and guarantee profits for big agriculture
companies.

Mike

A Usenet persona calling itself Michael Daly wrote:

On 15-Feb-2005, Scott Weiser wrote:

Which produces many products the government uses, and provides us with peace
through superior firepower, something the EU can be thankful for, given how
much of our military technology they use.

The vast majority of military spending provides nothing. Just read
economist Joan Robinson.

It provides peace.


Oh, it usually gets consumed, eventually.

You're talking thru your hat. Better check on the history of
US agricultural supports and their "strategic" food stores.
They sit there doing nothing then get destroyed. Grains, butter,
oil seeds, you name it. All done for no other reason than to
prop up US prices and guarantee profits for big agriculture
companies.

Um, the primary reason for stockpiles is to provide food in the event of
crop failures and shortages, which is a feature of the combination of
agriculture and the environment. Once the food is spoiled, however, then it
must be destroyed and replaced. Some out-of-date stockpiles are converted to
other uses. Corn is a biggie, and it is used to create alcohol. Other
foodstocks are turned into animal feed or are recycled as compost.

--
Regards,
Scott Weiser

"I love the Internet, I no longer have to depend on
friends, family and co-workers, I can annoy people WORLDWIDE!" TM

© 2005 Scott Weiser

On 16-Feb-2005, Scott Weiser wrote:

Um, the primary reason for stockpiles is to provide food in the event of
crop failures and shortages

BUt if you check the history of US agriculture, the primary reason was
_not_ to provide food - it was to prop up prices. Stop playing with
words and check the facts.

Mike

A Usenet persona calling itself Michael Daly wrote:

On 16-Feb-2005, Scott Weiser wrote:

Um, the primary reason for stockpiles is to provide food in the event of
crop failures and shortages

BUt if you check the history of US agriculture, the primary reason was
_not_ to provide food - it was to prop up prices. Stop playing with
words and check the facts.

It's both. And neither is an improper exercise of government power.

Living up there, you don't have access to stockpiles of government cheese,
for example, that are distributed to feed the poor.
--
Regards,
Scott Weiser

"I love the Internet, I no longer have to depend on
friends, family and co-workers, I can annoy people WORLDWIDE!" TM

© 2005 Scott Weiser