Disaster Relief Going Nowhere

<a href="http://www.billingsgazette.net/articles/2006/09/11/news/state/50-billions.txt" >Billions for drought a tough sell</a><br />n<br />n<blockquote>Penny Altendorf isn't a farmer, but the ongoing drought is affecting her family nonetheless.<br />n<br />nShe and her husband Richard own an aerial sprayer company, a business that is dependent on the weather in eastern North Dakota where they live. And it's been so dry this year, Altendorf says, struggling farmers in the area are cutting down on expenses by using ground sprayers.<br />n<br />n…..<br />n<br />nIndeed, farm-state lawmakers are asking for a lot of money when money is scarce. A $4 billion proposal is pending in an agriculture spending bill; Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D., introduced a new version last week that would provide $6.5 billion.<br />n<br />nLawmakers aren't optimistic about the chances of the money making it through Congress anytime soon.<br />n<br />nGeorgia Sen. Saxby Chambliss, the Republican chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, said the House "is probably not going to go along with it."<br />n<br />n"It's always been pulled out by the House," he said. "I don't know."<br />n<br />nHouse Republicans pulled the $4 billion package out of a spending bill designed to pay for the Iraq war earlier this year, and leaders have shown no public indication of changing their minds on the issue.<br />n<br />nReps. Stephanie Herseth, D-S.D., and Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., both say they are frustrated there is not more attention on rural issues as the election nears.<br />n<br />n"Things could be very different after the election, and I believe there are rural seats hanging on this disaster bill," Pomeroy said.<br />n<br />nNorth Dakota's Conrad said it would be easiest to push the package before the election, when political pressure is highest.<br />n<br />nSen. Conrad Burns, R-Mont., who is in a tight election race, is pushing his own disaster legislation that includes targeted money for fighting wildfires.<br />n<br />nBut Republican leadership, preoccupied with several defense and national security bills this month, has so far shown little interest in moving agricultural disaster assistance soon.</blockquote><br />n<br />nTo start with I will say I am neutral on the whole issue of disaster aid. I take advantage of it when it is offered, but I don't go out and ask or lobby for it. With our spiraling deficits the Federal Government is seeing I am not sure how wise a large disaster bill for agriculture is. I will also say I find the whole concept of farmers and ranchers standing with their hats in hands and begging for disaster aid disgusting. I know to get ahead in our system you have to make some noise, the squeaky wheel gets the oil, but to whine and beg for disaster aid from Congress bothers my sensibilities.<br />n<br />nWhy should agriculture be the only one who takes it in the shorts for money though with the deficit out of control? Is Congress cutting funds elsewhere for this reason? They keep spending money on everything else they can see why punish farmers? I'll tell you why, they make up less than 2% of the population so it's very safe for the House of Representatives to ignore them. With two Senators from every state there is a lot more pressure there to do something but it is always killed in the House.<br />n<br />nOn to the question, is disaster aid important? For many small farmers and businesses that rely of farmers it is. One would think that the Republicans worried about maintaining control of the House and Senate this election cycle would throw some bones to farm state legislators to help out. I can tell you what is happening there too. They assume the farm states are solidly Republican and will not rock the boat. <br />n<br />nHow this will all turn out will be interesting. More and more the farmers of the country are losing out in the political process. The small farmer gets hurt and corporate interests take over more and more production. That's what the American people want I guess so when they are paying out the nose to large corporations for food they will get what they deserve.<br />n<br />n<strong>Americans believe that people should work hard and get ahead on their own, but when disaster strikes and they need help with retirement or disability, Americans as a whole should come to their aid. Jacob Hacker </strong>