Re: Re: Comments on this please... attn. Larry

[Guest guest]

Dr. Mike,

I think we're in agreement on this specific subject, as I recognize that

subsidies and gov't intervention has done by far the most harm to this

situation and much greater harm in other areas relating to agricultural

subsidies like foreign policy, etc, and you recognize that an immediate

elimination of all subsidies would *not* be a good thing.

However, I think you're both jumping the gun with the logic that to point out

great harm gov't intervention has done that laissez faire would do the job

perfectly-- it's a non-sequitor. None of the free marketers have yet

responded to the points , I, and others have made about the inherent

inefficiencies in a market-- that, all things being equal, the cheapest

products do not calculate the great behind-the-scenes social *costs* both

monetary and non-monetary.

We should also keep in mind that, while gov't intervention was/is

instrumental in the rise of industrial agriculture, there would have been no

gov't intervention in the first place had there been no powerful,

disproportionately large companies to *lobby* for it. It is a reciprocal

dynamic.

Chris

In a message dated 3/23/03 6:27:06 PM Eastern Standard Time,

mmarasco@... writes:

> Dear Larry,

>

> I saw this and just deemed it as off topic but let it go...

>

> However now that you've mentioned it I can only say one thing

>

> to your commentary on the free market...

>

>

>

> AMEN!

>

>

> I have first hand, well second hand experience with this in that my

> wife's family have been dairy farmers in wisconsin for several

> generations including her sister currently.

>

> If there is an such demonstration as to the foibles, insanity and

> pure lunacy of the socialist state. Dairy farming is it.

>

> The best thing that could happen long term, (I said long term, short

> term it would be a disaster both for the marketplace and the farmers)

> is that there would never ever be another government subsidised farm.

>

> It is the subsidy that allows giant factory farms to produce milk at

> a loss and yet make huge profits via following rules to receive the

> government subsidy. At this point the price fixing by the

> government of milk makes it such that my sister in laws 50 milker

> farm cannot produce milk for more than it costs to produce. Yes

> that's correct after their shoestring overhead is spent and the sell

> their milk at the non-free market they get back less per gallon than

> they put in. If it weren't for the subsidies they'd be out of work.

>

> And also if it weren't for the draconian interventions of the

> government they'd be selling one of the most healthy and nutritious

> products in an open market place at a fair price and making a

> reasonable living. Not selling a quart of raw cream for $16.

>

> Thank you Larry.

>

> DMM

>

____

" What can one say of a soul, of a heart, filled with compassion? It is a

heart which burns with love for every creature: for human beings, birds, and

animals, for serpents and for demons. The thought of them and the sight of

them make the tears of the saint flow. And this immense and intense

compassion, which flows from the heart of the saints, makes them unable to

bear the sight of the smallest, most insignificant wound in any creature.

Thus they pray ceaselessly, with tears, even for animals, for enemies of the

truth, and for those who do them wrong. "

--Saint Isaac the Syrian