Charting a Path To Reauthorizing Free Markets and Ending Statism

By: Daniel Horowitz (Diary)  |  May 17th at 12:44 PM  | 

When it comes to free-market fiscal policy, Republicans are always manufacturing excuses to exempt themselves from their own doctrine on numerous issues.  There are always excuses why specific industries must be recipients of government interventions.  They say that exporters cannot function without the Ex-Im Bank; farmers cannot subsist without government welfare despite record high prices; the financial markets cannot survive without bailouts.  The latest exception | Read More »

It’s Game Time for Farm Subsidies and Ethanol in Washington

By: Daniel Horowitz (Diary)  |  June 13th at 06:15 PM  | 

This week’s legislative schedule in both houses of Congress will provide Republicans (and faux moderate Democrats) a unique opportunity to efface farm welfare by eliminating ethanol credits/tariffs and direct farm subsidies. On the House side, the annual Agriculture Appropriations bill is expected to hit the floor as early as Tuesday.  Earlier this month, the Appropriations Committee passed the FY 2012 Ag bill, cutting $2.6 billion | Read More »

Haley Barbour and the Regressive Economics of Farm Subsidies

By: Daniel Horowitz (Diary)  |  February 22nd at 09:32 PM  | 

Farm subsidies are the most popular form of corporate cronyism among many Republicans.  Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, this regressive form of ‘progressive’ market intervention garners enthusiastic support from Republican presidential contenders, especially preceding the Iowa Caucuses.  Haley Barbour is the latest potential presidential candidate to prostrate on the altar of the farm lobby and support the $20 billion fleecing of the taxpayer.  Even with the | Read More »