Farm Bureau

[Dusty Britches]

This morning while listening to the Ag News on TSN (Texas State News) radio, my jaw dropped when I heard the Farm Bureau sent a letter to all 50 states' senators expressing their full support for the infrastructure bill. Yes, I realize there is a lot of things in there we need, but it is the 80% of the bill that we don't need that will make that 20% pointless. (I don't know if it is actual percentages, so don't get hung up on that.) I was about to join the FB, but they won't see any of my money.

Farm Bureau Supports Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation

www.fb.org

 

[faster horses]

We are a Farm Bureau member, have been for years. We have FB insurance and it's been excellent. They will hear from me on this, thanks for letting us know. Disturbing!

 

[Dsth]

I have sent a reply to the emails listed on the article voicing my disappointment in FB's support for this wasteful government spending. we have been FB members for a long time, but this will be my last time sending in my dues. just got an auto reply email notification that Mike Tomco is currently on vacation. probably a well deserved one if he read the whole 2700 page bill.

 

[damengineer]

Here is the lemail I sent to farm bureau VP of farm policy :
Farm Bureau needs to read that infrastructure bill before you jump in with both feet to support it. It is so full of wasteful spending that will result in higher taxes and just give the liberals a reason to raise the inheritance tax. Please retract your support for this bill. Until we get the spending under control, and spend money on what is really needed, instead of all the social programs that do nothing but continue the downward spiral of our society, our dollar will not be worth the paper it is printed on. we are now paying $3 a gallon for fuel when a years ago it was $1.25. Now in that bill there is a program to charge a mileage tax on our driving. Here in OKlahoma, nothing is close so every trip to the parts house or feed store will cost us even more. Sure we need bridges and roads and internet, but we don't need to give money to BLM, Planned parenthood and all those other welfare programs. I am just a poor white straight farmer so I am at the bottom of list when it comes to those programs.
So, support what is best for the farmers, not the politicians

 

[Buck Randall]

Here is the lemail I sent to farm bureau VP of farm policy :
Farm Bureau needs to read that infrastructure bill before you jump in with both feet to support it. It is so full of wasteful spending that will result in higher taxes and just give the liberals a reason to raise the inheritance tax. Please retract your support for this bill. Until we get the spending under control, and spend money on what is really needed, instead of all the social programs that do nothing but continue the downward spiral of our society, our dollar will not be worth the paper it is printed on. we are now paying $3 a gallon for fuel when a years ago it was $1.25. Now in that bill there is a program to charge a mileage tax on our driving. Here in OKlahoma, nothing is close so every trip to the parts house or feed store will cost us even more. Sure we need bridges and roads and internet, but we don't need to give money to BLM, Planned parenthood and all those other welfare programs. I am just a poor white straight farmer so I am at the bottom of list when it comes to those programs.
So, support what is best for the farmers, not the politicians

Have you read the bill?

 

[SBMF 2015]

I'm a FB member because my insurance requires me to, but in general I'm usually pretty disappointed in their actions.

 

[Mrcopier]

Have you read the bill?

I mean no disrespect, us have you read the bill?

 

[Buck Randall]

I mean no disrespect, us have you read the bill?

No offense taken. I have not read it, nor do I expect that most people have. I will, however, withhold outrage over a piece of legislature I haven't read just because somebody claims something is/isn't in it.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

Observation: If the Buck takes no offense when someone has an issue with a piece of legislation they have not read then what would be the
logic of pointing the fact out other than offense? Me thinks the pot just called the kettle black!

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

You must pass it to find out what's in it.

 

[Buck Randall]

Observation: If the Buck takes no offense when someone has an issue with a piece of legislation they have not read then what would be the
logic of pointing the fact out other than offense? Me thinks the pot just called the kettle black!

Observation: Your reading comprehension leaves something to be desired. Mrcopier asked me a question, and I told him I was not offended that he asked.

I do find it annoying when people make claims that 80% of a bill is terrible, or insisting that people who support it need to read it, when they have not read it themselves.

 

[ccr]

Hopefully our legislatures read bills and understand what it states or how it might be interpreted for the good of the U.S. citizen, and not what the lobbyist have written for special interest, before being supported.

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Hopefully our legislatures read bills and understand what it states or how it might be interpreted before being supported.

They won't.

 

[kenny thomas]

Years ago I thought Farm Bureau had the farmers in mind. Not so sure anymore.

 

[Buck Randall]

They won't.

Sad but true. For most of them, it doesn't really matter what's in it. They're going to follow the party instructions, maybe lecture from a soapbox or make a few public statements to satisfy their donors/voters, and then it will be passed.

 

[simme]

H.R. 3684 – Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act |

The legislation reauthorizes, creates, and funds programs to support a range of infrastructure initiatives. Current authorizations for surface transportation programs are set to expire at the end of September. The bill provides approximately $550 billion in new infrastructure spending over five...

www.rpc.senate.gov

Here is one version of a bill. I think this bill is just about how much money to spend by category. In the private sector, you would identify a need - a new factory making a specific product, a railroad from a point A to a point B, an airport to replace an existing landlocked overloaded airport, etc. Then justify the need, evaluate risk, define benefits vs cost, etc. This bill just seems to allocate x millions or billions by category without a stated plan for what the money is to be spent on. One item is "$21.4 billion for Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations within DOE". Does anyone know what that includes? Is there a list of projects with a detailed scope? Probably not. Probably just money to be spent on pet projects - maybe defined and decided by lobbyists or other creatures from the swamp.
I think this is not a bill to primarily address crumbling infrastructure and needed technology updates. I think it is a spending bill for the sake of spending. And to reward "family and friends". I think there is a power factor - not electrical power, but political power.

 

[greybeard]

No one knows exactly what will be in the final bill or act. Usually, a version is passed by the house, then the Senate has their own version to debate and vote on, then it goes back to the house and the 2 versions are reconciled. To get thru the senate, some of the items in the original house bill were omitted so a semi bipartison vote would get it on thru the senate and reconciliation in the senate, is where it is now. It will still have to be reconciled in the house.

Evidently, there are 2 parts to the reconcilliation process of the infrastructure bill. 1. The one that addresses what we usually see in infrastructure (roads/bridges/waterways/structural stuff) and then there is the "human infrastructure that the progressives are pushing for.

Included, but not limited to are:
Expanding medicare to include dental and vision.
Lowering the age of medicare eligibility (age not yet decided but somewhere between 55 and 60.)
Free universal pre-kindergarten for all.
2 years free tuition for community college.
A LOT of global warming stuff.
A path to citizenship for many of the millions of illegals here in the US.

Universal pre-K, free community college tuition: What's in $3.5T budget bill

Universal pre-K and 2-years free community college tuition part of the $3.5 trillion budget resolution targeting social issues that Democrats unveiled Monday.

abcnews.go.com

Sanders Unveils Final $3.5T Reconciliation Package Alongside Infrastructure Bill

The bill includes provisions to lower the Medicare eligibility age and create a Civilian Climate Corps.

truthout.org

Sanders Pushes Back Against GOP, Says US Must “Address Human Infrastructure”

The bill could help the U.S. catch up in areas where the country’s quality of life lags behind other wealthy countries.

truthout.org

 

[Dusty Britches]

The first bill will allow the DOT to explore how to implement a per mile tax. It will also fund electric charging stations at gas stations. It will increase the mandate for electric power and decrease fuels - including ethanol. While roads and bridges sound like a good thing, it contains numerous adds that make the bill a poison pill.

And none of our senators have read it, unless they can read 55 pages of it per hour. I have not read the bill, but I have listened to several US reps and senators discuss parts of the bill.

NEVER, EVER believe a politician when they say revenue will come from taxing the rich because they are the rich and they will build in deductions that the rest of us cannot use. This bill will sink the middle income and low income for sure.

 

[Dusty Britches]

I almost forgot - the first bill ALSO removes the step up exemption from estate taxes and decreases the estate tax threshold.

PLEASE while your reps at home for the August recess, hammer them to not pass this!! Especially if you have a democrat rep!