|
The Downtown Marriott was the scene for a candidate forum
held by National and Iowa Farmers Union in Des Moines on Saturday, the tenth of
November. There were some notable quotes among the Presidential candidates.
Those candidates who came to speak to the crowd were Dodd, Obama, Edwards,
Biden, and Clinton. Also appearing was Senator Chuck Grassley and Congressman
Leonard Boswell, both of Iowa.
Here are some quotes from the day, in order of appearance (read more):
Obama; “Callers to Washington
from rural America
can’t get through because a lobbyist is already on the line”. “Among the things I will fight to do on my
first days in office” are “Support the packer ban, not the US Department of Agribusiness”
and “stop EQIP funding for CAFOs”. “The CAFO issue is about principle, not
politics”. “I will take action on a rural agenda in my first 100 days in office”.
Dodd; “A farmer should be Secretary of Agriculture”. “It is
the responsibility of the President to help rural people meet challenges”. “I
will support an Attorney General who will enforce anti-trust laws”. “Rural America is important to every person in America.” “I
joined the Peace Corps because an American President asked me to.” “I am the
only candidate to get mail both from AARP and a diaper service.”
Edwards; “It is strong and patriotic to grow your food
locally”. “I will do everything in my power to install a packer ban” “I will
call for a moratorium on CAFO expansion and an outright ban on new construction”.
“Taxpayers should not subsidize those
who are driving family farms out of business”. “Huge corporations have
corrupted the government” because “what they care about is the almighty dollar”.
“We cannot replace a corporate Republican President with a corporate Democratic
President”. "I will give America
hope” but “will give the people who try to force you out of farming, Hell.”
Biden; “I am one of the 800 candidates for President”. “Delaware has a
$3 billion agriculture industry” that is “the
single largest industry in Delaware.”
“Farmers, I admire you, but I don’t know why in God’s name you do it”.
With war
and saber rattling, we have “placed $20 billion into the pocket of
Ahmadinejad”
of Iran.
“25% to 30% of the cost of oil is risk” assumed by those in the oil
markets. War talk out of Washington “places farms in jeopardy”
through higher oil prices. “Everywhere I
go in Iowa I
say ‘ethanol’. They say 'Yay!' Then I say E85 pumps, and they say
‘Where?’”
Clinton;
“I will veto the failed policies of George Bush”. “People are leaving Rural
America at a greater rate than ever before” “Clearing brush on his Texas ranch is about the
only rural agenda Bush has”. "I will support the triple entry rule”. “Rural
banks have been gobbled up by bigger banks”. “Rural families feel like they’re
standing on a trap door, one pink slip or illness away from losing everything”.
Also notable was Senator Chuck Grassley; “an old axiom says
that we are only 9 meals away from Revolution”. “Packers own livestock so that
when prices are high they can kill their own, and when prices are low they can
buy from the farmer”. 25 years ago, “giving accelerated depreciation to special
purpose livestock buildings helped accelerate livestock concentration”.
Leonard Boswell; “Don’t give up”.
Trackback(0)
 |
TrackBack URI for this entry
Subscribe to this comment's feed