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Ordinarily, Congress easily passes an agriculture bill called the "farm bill," but that was before the worst Congress ever. This year, the Democratic Senate approved the measure, but House Republicans are blocking it, despite the assistance it would provide to drought-stricken farmers.
Yesterday, President Obama was in Iowa, one of many states hard hit by the drought, and reminded voters of legislation that needs to pass. "Unfortunately right now, too many members of Congress are blocking the farm bill from becoming law," Obama said. "I am told that Gov. Romney's new running mate, Paul Ryan, might be around Iowa the next few days -- he is one of the leaders of Congress standing in the way. So if you happen to see Congressman Ryan, tell him how important this farm bill is to Iowa and our rural communities."
The comments apparently rankled House GOP leaders.
On its website and in an email Monday, House Speaker John Boehner's office said President Obama needs to take personal responsibility for the drought ravaging the Midwest.
Obama, "continues to blame anyone and everyone for the drought but himself," reads a release from Boehner's office posted online and distributed to reporters Monday. The quote was attributed to Boehner himself in a Financial Times story. The online post and the press release came from Boehner spokesperson Kevin Smith.
Now, opinions can certainly vary when it comes to the president's strengths and weaknesses, but Boehner seems to have taken admiration of Obama's powers to a whole new level -- the House Speaker seems to think the president can singlehandedly create drought conditions.
For the record, Obama is not to blame for the drought; Obama supports the farm bill that Boehner's caucus won't pass. What's more, the president announced yesterday that his administration will offer $170 million in federal assistance for farmers struggling through the drought.
Boehner's office later revised the language of its odd press release, saying Obama's to blame for the farm bill's problems because Boehner expects the president to convince the Senate to pass the House's version of the bill -- and Obama deserves the blame since that hasn't happened.
I'm beginning to think the Speaker isn't especially good at his job.
Postscript: And if Boehner is serious about addressing the causes behind the drought, we can also talk about his caucus' rejection of climate science, which also isn't the president's fault.
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The GOP sure likes to accuse Obama of everything wrong in government, but when he does it back to them they cry like babies. The Republicans ARE to blame for no farm bill being passed. They act like spoiled children who never expected that the person they have been bullying for the last few years was actually going to stand up on his own two feet and fire some insults and blows back at them. You reap what you sow.
They now blame Obama constantly for the very things they are doing. A troll came on last night saying that Ryan was pleading with Obama to pass the farm bill! I flipped out.
The fact is that Ryan and the GOP controlled house, under Boehner, went on Summer recess and left the drought stricken farmers standing in their dying fields. Ryan does not want to mention this to the cheering Iowa crowds, who seem to be ignorant of the cause of their misery.
It is the GOP, the T-party house, and Mr. Ryan who won't pass this bill. It is not Barack Obama's fault at all. Why do they lie like this?
Speaking of reaping what you sow, the farmers in the heartland will reap a bitter harvest because of the very people they support in these red states: The GOP! Wake up Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, Ohio! Wake up to next years prices because of these T-party people in the house!
India, like anything in political circles today, there's truth and lies on both sides.
The House did pass a farm bill but the Senate refused to take it up. The New York Times even reported that the White House would have considered the House bill if the Senate would have voted on it.
So, it seems the Senate Democrats are as much to blame as the House Republicans.
(My prediction: nc,nsf)
Thank you, RobDon, for the daily demonstration of what a resident of the Permanent Impermeable Bubble Of Republic Moron Stupidity looks like.
Secret code revealed:
nc,nsf - name calling, no sourced facts.
Thank you TCinLA for verifying my prediction. While there are some here who will engage a different opinion on facts and merits, most quickly dismiss anything they don't agree with name calling and insults.
What in my comment is not factual? What conclusion is inaccurate? Demonstrate what you seem to claim as your superior intelligence and make your argument if I'm incorrect.
The farm bill cuts food stamps allocation to some ridiculously low allotment of about $42.00 per month. Ryan and Romney spend more than that on lunch.
Sal, thanks for the comment. Both the House and Senate bill makes cuts to the "food stamps" program. The Senate a little over 5 percent and the House about 20 percent. The Senate's cuts come mainly through tackling fraud and waste, the House's cuts by better means testing to ensure need.
Granted, we can argue which side is better but this is how most legislation is done. When Congress returns they will work out the differences between the House and Senate bill.
Just as a reference, the Huffington Post does a fairly good job explaining both sides. This fact on the Senate bill:
I'm not sure where you got the $42.00 per month firgure from, any reference? Thanks.
Not sure where I got that price Rob Dom, maybe it was $49.00. It could be less given that this bill would affect everyone allotment by minus $90.00 Probably either Think Progress or TPM since that is what I read mostly. As I go back through archives, I don't really have the time to get wonky. I am an unemployed social worker house wife and primary caregiver for a family of seven (three generations) all living in the same household due to the recession. So here is a start if you want to look it up at Think Progress July 12, 2012. House Committee Votes to Take Food Stamps Away from Low Income Americans.
Sal, first, so sorry for current challenges.
Thanks for the info, no big deal.
Side note: if you are getting the "$90" figure from my post, it seems to affect only a portion who falsely claim heating assistance only to get more "food stamps," not benefactors in general....just to clarify.
I hear that Obama gave all our water to China! Or the Soviet Union! Or somebody. . .
Yes and all of our weather issues were caused by Progressives who don't believe in the correct God of Radical, Reich-Wing, Racist, Homophobic, Women-Hating Republicans.
So global climate change is man-made, and Obama is the man.
But really, you can't expect coherent remarks from a man who drinks as much as Boehner does.
All of this Mars rover stuff. I knew it was Obama's plan to make the sun hotter and turn our lives into a hell on earth. I just knew it. Let us pray.
(hope ya'll realize this is snark)
Boehner expects the president to convince the Senate to pass the House's version of the bill -
Does anyone know what odious measures the House has attempted to tack unto this bill ?
I'm sure it is something that will improve the lot of all Americans.
Putting on my Karnak hat, I'd say the list starts with eliminating the EPA and approving the Keystone pipeline. Maybe permanently extending the high-end tax cuts.
And "Stop all abortion rights and contraception." That one has to be added to every bill. Because that has everything to do with the drought and farmers.
No, that was flood insurance. The opposite problem :-)
Here's an NYT rundown - long story short, not surprisingly, the "Christian" GOP wants to primarily pay for their version of the bill by kicking two-to-three million people off access to food stamps, and making 300,000 or so children ineligible for the free lunch program:
House Republicans Disagree Over Farm Bill Cuts:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/13/us/politics/house-agriculture-committee-agrees-on-farm-bill.html/
I understand the major sticking point is major cuts in the SNAP program.
Could be - I imagine the major sticking point is the fact that we can't manage to keep congress in Washington LONG ENOUGH TO DO ANYTHING!!!!
Boehner is probably correct! The Kenyan Muslim Commie Ursuper probably called upon his Muslim God to cause the drought (and impose Sharia Law).
Sorry, I forgot that the Muslim God is not the real God and that only the Baptist God is the real God. God must be punishing us for electing the Kenyan Muslim Commie Socialist.
My God, there are some crazy people out there.
Actually, it's the Kenyan Muslim Commie Socialist Nazi.
Wow has the selection of Paul Ryan given Romney a boost or what! Look at the polls already shifting dramatically in Romney's favor. And to see how he has energized the party (repubs) is amazing. Ryan has given Romney "definition".
Great young Catholic family man with a keen wit and very bright all around. One very well rounded politician and ...............he's Irish! Paul Ryan has all eyes & ears on himself now. Funny how everyone stopped talking about Romney's taxes.
"Every body gets an equal opportunity to succeed, not a guaranteed equal outcome."
Refreshing to hear after 3 1/2 years of marxicratic bullsH@T Paul Ryan, the RIGHT choice.
Sarcasm is the lowest form of humor.
I see what you did there, HLA. Well played.
Hypocrite Catholic - his mentor and idol was an Athiest.
Pope Benedict XVI has strongly reiterated Catholic teaching that universal health
care is an "inalienable right" that must be guaranteed by everynation and society. Pope John also supported universal healthcare. Catholic bishops and nuns say Ryan's budget fails moral test.
There is articleon The Daily Beast and I have posted just a portion of it, the rest can be found on www.thedailybeast.com - Jun 17, 2011 12:09 AM EDT
Ryan's Shrewd Budget Payday
Exclusive: The congressman stands to make money from his stakes in four businesses that lease land to energy companies which would benefit from $45 billion in tax breaks and subsidies in his proposed budget. Daniel Stone reports. (Daniel Stone of Newsweek)
When House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan unveiled the GOP blueprint for cutting government spending, he asked Americans to make sacrifices on
everything from Medicare to education, while preserving lucrative tax subsidies for the booming oil, mining and energy industries.
It turns out a constituency within his own personal investments stood to benefit from those tax breaks, Newsweek and The Daily Beast have learned.
The financial disclosure report Ryan filed with Congress last month and made public this week shows he and his wife, Janna, own stakes in four family
companies that lease land in Texas and Oklahoma to the very energy companies
that benefit from the tax subsidies in Ryan's budget plan.
Ryan's father-in-law, Daniel Little, who runs the companies, told Newsweek
and The Daily Beast that the family companies are currently leasing the land
for mining and drilling to energy giants such as Chesapeake Energy, Devon, and
XTO Energy, a recently acquired subsidiary of ExxonMobil…
Methinks Wee Irish Pat is a bit rat-arsed. Slow down, laddie!
Yep, here's how juiced the GOP is about Privatize Ryan on the ticket:
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0812/79697.html?hp=t1
Looks like Paddie? (Pattie? Paddy? Patty?) just messed his diaper for nothing and came here to get it changed.
Ah look, Paddy's been into the Guinness early again.
they are complete clowns
A few weeks ago, I expressed surprise that they hadn't already accused Obama of causing the drought and put it down to their being unable to reconcile the article of their infallible and immutable dogma that holds Obama responsible for all bad things that occur and the article that says humans can't affect climate.
And, as it happens, the serial policy train wrecks that have been collectively referred to the 112th Congress have all been caused by the fact a party that has degenerated from ideology to rigid dogmatism can oppose, but it can't govern without confronting the moral, logical and practical internal contradictions that people resort to dogmatism to mask.
That is what has made the Orange Boner's tenure such a tragic farce. Every event that occurs brings one of those doctrinal conflicts to surface, resulting in paralyzing internal strife. A strong speaker would have forced a resolution in favor of the least illogical, least dangerous position. Being a weakling, Boehner invariably capitulates to the side advocating the most dangerous, illogical and/or immoral position and while giving lip service to the article of faith that lost the fight.
So of course, it was Boehner who blurted out that Obama is responsible for the drought and then lamely withdrew it, replacing it with something equally, but less ostentatiously, nonsensical. It's always going to be Boehner doing that.
I remember that.
Now that the climate deniers are now blaming climate change on the Kenyan Keynesian Socialist Marxist Communist Fascist Barakky Obummer in the White House, there'll have to be a new climate my at skepticalscience.com
(For all who aren't familiar with skepticalscience.com, it lists the common climate denier climate change myths and debunks them. There's something like 180 debunked myths.)
The GOP have created this problem by ignoring the greenhouse effect. So, now they are destroying the farms in order to make President Obama look bad, when they are the ones who want de-regulation on Manufacturers leading to even more destruction to the ground, the water and the air. Go figure. And while they are at it, they would like to drill more holes and destroy more water supplies and cause Earthquakes. All for the love of their almighty dollar. If given the real facts and a choice the American People would much rather vow to maybe not drive so much and conserve water. I have.
There's a reason why Bonehead's nickname is Bonehead.
You mean that's a nickname??!!
I live in a small town in east central Illinois, although I grew up in the big city. Anybody who doesn't think the drought is serious hasn't lived in corn country. One small town is having a meeting tonight at a Lion's Club to pray for rain. It isn't funny.