The Federal Trough

My dad (z"l) was always cynical about people who claimed to be opposed to federal aid programs. He noticed that what they really opposed was federal aid to people other than themselves. He had a colorful way of describing this phenomenon, too. He said all of us are like pigs with our snouts in the federal trough. Once in a while, though, each of us picks our head up, looks around, and comments disgustedly, "What a bunch of pigs!"

I was reminded of this by a news item on the radio this morning. The President is headed to New Orleans to address a convention of Farm Bureaus as his government shutdown enters its fourth week. How does this affect farmers, who have been among his strong supporters?

• The US Department of Agriculture can't process loan subsidies that farmers use to finance their seed for the next planting. In many places, that should be two to three weeks away.
• The USDA is no longer sending out emergency checks for the losses farmers are suffering from the President's trade war with China.
• Nobody at the State Department is processing requests for H2A visas for temporary agricultural workers to enter the country.

It is not schadenfreude to notice that all of us are dependent on one another and that we negotiate our mutual needs through government. I can differ with the specifics of agricultural policy while still realizing that we need one if we want to eat. But it is important to note: People who pretend to support market-driven decisions and individualism really only believe in those things when it comes to others.