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Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Kent Conrad Is Acting Like Ed Schafer Is Already Ag Secretary

By Rob on October 31, 2007 at 12:05 pm
3 Comments

Given this press release from the Senator:

Washington - Senator Kent Conrad released the following statement today regarding the announcement that President Bush has nominated former North Dakota Gov. Edward Schafer to be his next Agriculture secretary.

“I just congratulated Governor Schafer and said I welcomed his nomination as a fellow North Dakotan. I hope he will support this Farm Bill, which is good for our state and the nation. I look forward to speaking with him about his views on the Food and Energy Security Act currently under consideration.”

I don’t know whether or not Schafer will support the farm bill, but I’m not surprised that Conrad is pretty much offering no opposition to Bush’s appointment on this.  Unlike what Conrad has done to some of Bush’s other appointments.

In the past Senator Conrad, along with Senator Dorgan, have gotten away with siding with their party on a lot of Bush’s nominations mostly because your average North Dakotan, much like your average American, doesn’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about federal appointments.  But Ed’s appointment has them between a rock and a hard place.  Do they side with their party and oppose a very popular political figure among their constituency, or do they anger their national party and do what their constituency wants?

On this issue, it appears as though Conrad at least will be sticking with the constituency.

Comments

Avatar for Duane

Kent and Byron are going to publicly support Ed because of his continued popularity back home.  Then, when the Bush Administration has a different view than the president, they will jump all over him.  Those two know how to play politics better than almost anyone in Washington.

Duane on October 31, 2007 at 07:51 pm
Avatar for george

I wouldn’t count on Conrad yet. While I agree he will have a hard time not supporting Ed, he will if Ed doesn’t support his budget busting ag bill. Have you seen that thing. Wow! I think farmers need diaster coverage and market support, but this thing is busting at the seems. Actually seems like they asked for the moon expecting to get cut and no one objected. Sounds like Bush may veto though, unless they make it more realistic.

george on October 31, 2007 at 08:03 pm
Rob
Rob
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I hope Bush vetoes.

The situation with disaster aid is atrocious, even under the current system.  Poor growing weather that happens every single year is not a “disaster.” That’s just weather, and the taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook for it.

One almost gets the idea that some feel the farmers, as business people, shouldn’t face any risk.  Which is not how a free market operates.

The war against illegal plunder has been fought since the beginning of the world. But how is… legal plunder to be identified? Quite simply. See if the law takes from some persons what belongs to them, and gives it to other persons to whom it does not belong. See if the law benefits one citizen at the expense of another by doing what the citizen himself cannot do without committing a crime. Then abolish this law without delay … If such a law is not abolished immediately it will spread, multiply and develop into a system.

Frédéric Bastiat, The Law

Rob’s recently listened-to songs:

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Rob on October 31, 2007 at 08:15 pm
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