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03/30/2008: "USA government controlled by lobbyists"

With grain prices soaring, farm income at record highs and the federal budget deficit widening, the subsidies and handouts given to American farmers would seem vulnerable to a serious pruning.

But it appears that farmers, at least so far, have succeeded in stopping the strongest effort in years to shrink the government safety net that doles out billions of dollars to them each year.

As Congress tries to finish writing the new farm bill, the final tab is likely to be larger than the 2002 bill, which totaled more than $260 billion.

The agribusiness industry plowed more than $80 million into lobbying last year, according to the nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics, which tracks spending on lobbying. Much of that was focused on the farm bill.

"We got rolled," says Rep. Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican who worked closely with Rep. Kind. "The agriculture community circled the wagons."

[ Something that's not needed gets paid for by taxpayers because the lobbyists had $80 million. What kind of corrupt "government" is that? It's like genteel corruption: all seemingly above board, all legal, but all devastating in its consequences. ]

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120657645419967077.html?mod=hpp_us_pageone