Farm Vote, Usually Supportive of GOP, May Swing to Obama

[JimGinPA]

WASHINGTON -- In presidential elections, the crucial farm vote has been reliably Republican. This year might be different.

GOP candidate John McCain's long track record opposing farm subsidies will likely hurt him in the November election, say farmers, lobby groups and academics.

"I don't think you would find too many people in American agriculture and ranching who would agree with Sen. McCain's position on farming issues," said Tom Buis, president of the National Farmers' Union.


Sen. Barack Obama, the Democratic front-runner, has shown consistent support for issues affecting farmers and has advocated policies that largely appeal to that group, according to farmers and farm groups.

The Illinois senator has done well in farming states throughout the Democratic primary season, and the trend is expected to continue as the primaries wrap up with contests in Montana and South Dakota on Tuesday.

Agricultural topics such as the recently passed farm bill have been prominent in this year's election because of rising food prices and concerns that the new interest in ethanol is partly to blame.

Sen. McCain opposed the $300 billion, five-year farm bill, saying that if he were president, he would have vetoed it just as President Bush did.

More at link

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121236914379136639.html?mod=googlenews_wsj


If this is true Obama is going to win in a landslide.

[DemsUnited]

1. Great article! Thanks for posting.

K&R

[hadrons]

2. This would be a great thing, but don't underestimate regular GOP voters to ....

punish themselves

[OnionPatch]

4. It does seem like a lot of farmers are entrenched

in right-wing mentality to the point where voting for a Democrat is unthinkable. Last time I made a purchase in the local feed store, I had to listen to talk radio spewing garbage on how godless liberals are ruining America. It's hard to imagine the people in there voting for Obama regardless of his stance on the farm bill. Daily doses of RW propaganda radio (the only radio available in these parts) are keeping too many farmers firmly in the R aisle.

[Ikari Gendo]

3. McCain doesn't get it ...

...about ethanol either. I live in farm country. Food prices are going up because of market speculation, high fuel costs, and a drought that wiped out the rice crop in Australia and southern Asia. Doubling the price of corn on the farm will add less than a dime to the cost of a box of corn flakes.
Ethanol is cost effective once you get the massive initial investments paid off, which is the whole reason for ethanol subsidies.

Fighting against ethanol and biodiesel will win McCain no friends here in South Dakota.

[Occam Bandage]

7. "Ethanol is cost effective"

:rofl:

When you come up with a net-energy-positive way of making corn ethanol, I'll quit laughing.

[JPZenger]

5. kicked

[anonymous171]

6. Aren't farmers usually educated?

[Occam Bandage]

8. Yeah, they're all latte eggheads.