What’s wrong with this picture?

Posted on FoxNews.com-By Elizabeth MacDonald-On June 24, 2011:

An estimated 90,000 people living in 350 cities and towns across the country got nearly $400 million in taxpayer-funded crop subsidies last year, says a top environmental watchdog group.

The data was revealed by the Environmental Working Group in conjunction with a Senate Agricultural committee review of farm spending, in light of the deficit reduction and debt ceiling fights in Washington, D.C. Fights over cuts to ethanol subsidies in particular have broken out on Capitol Hill.

The group culled the estimates out of its farm subsidy database, which it says in a statement relies on “millions of new government records” tracking an estimated $222.8 billion in farm subsidies that the federal government has released from 1995 to 2010.

Farm subsidies were launched after the Great Depression to help struggling small farmers plant corn, soybeans, rice, cotton and wheat.

The payments were meant for farmers who actually work the land, not absentee land owners and investors, the group says.

It also points to the “actively engaged” rule adopted in a 2008 bill, that “was designed to ensure that federal payments go only to those who are truly working the land,” the group says in the statement.

But the group says an estimated $394 million in farm subsidies have been given to “absentee land owners and investors living in every major American city."

It adds that "in 2010, 7,767 residents of just five Texas cities – Lubbock, Amarillo, Austin, San Angelo and Corpus Christi – collected $61,748,945 in taxpayer-funded subsidies. Residents of Lubbock booked $24,839,154 in payments, putting it at the top of cities with 100,000+ populations that are home to farm subsidy recipients,” the watchdog group said in a statement.

The group added: “In Spokane, Wash., 1,224 residents cashed $10,580,181 in farm subsidy checks. In New York City, 290 farm subsidy recipients pulled in a total of $800,887, while 203 residents of Miami got $2,472,071. In San Francisco, 179 residents split $1,094,172, while 1,235 residents of Memphis got $4,009,874 and 1,146 people in Denver received $3,394,550. In Arizona, 1,205 residents of Phoenix, Mesa and Scottsdale divvied up $8,173,269 in payments.”

“We are sending handouts to Wall Street investors and absentee landlords instead of working toward creating a safety net for working farm and ranch families,” said EWG Senior Vice-President Craig Cox in a statement. “It’s simply unjustifiable.” Cox manages EWG’s agriculture programs from the organization’s Ames, Iowa, office.

The Dept. of Agriculture’s acting undersecretary, Michael Scuse, has reportedly said that people living in urban areas are entitled to crop subsidies if they are active in agriculture. People are eligible for payments if they provide land, equipment or capital, or labor and management.”

Source:

http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2011/06/24/city-dwellers-got-34-million-in-farm-subsidies-watchdog-group-says/

Note: The following articles and/or blog posts and video relate to this disturbing issue-You Decide:

I. Investigate 'Fraud-Plagued' $1.15-Billion Settlement With Black Farmers!-Posted on CNSNews.com-By Susan Jones-On June 18, 2011:

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/115-billion-going-whom-investigate-fraud

II. No More Taxpayer Money to Settle ‘Fraudulent’ Pigford II Claims!-Posted on CNSNews.com-By Susan Jones-On June 16, 2011:

http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/no-more-taxpayer-money-settle-fraudulent

III. Video: "500%" of Black US Farmers Sign Up for Reparations From Obama Administration Program!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MFtYCXkvW0Q&feature=player_embedded

Note:  My following blog posts contain numerous articles and/or blog posts and videos that relate to this disturbing issue-You Decide:

Should Shirley Sherrod's hiring by USDA be investigated?

http://weroinnm.wordpress.com/2010/07/23/should-shirley-sherrods-hiring-by-usda-be-investigated/

President and DOJ have contributed to the racial mess in our country!

http://weroinnm.wordpress.com/2010/09/26/president-and-doj-have-contributed-to-the-racial-mess-in-our-country/

Is it important to understand the Marxist assault on the foundations of our system?

http://weroinnm.wordpress.com/2011/01/27/is-it-important-to-understand-the-marxist-assault-on-the-foundations-of-our-system/

Note If you have a problem viewing any of the listed blog posts please copy web site and paste it on your browser. Be aware that some of the articles and/or blog posts or videos listed within the contents of the above blog post(s) may have been removed by this administration because they may have considered them to be too controversial.  Sure seems like any subject matter that may shed some negative light on this administration is being censored-What happened to free speech?-You Decide.

“Food For Thought”

God Bless the U.S.A.!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q65KZIqay4E&feature=related

Semper Fi!

Jake

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