Farm subsidies

[brendan]

I was debating on WP about farm subsidies:

studiorambo said:
"An examination of the food prices of countries that import large quantities of their food, such as Japan, shows just how cheap our food is in comparison. The amount of non-recurring drought assistance provided is a small percentage of total agricultural output. The increased costs of importing our food supply will clearly dwarf this. The best figure I could quickly find is that the Commonwealth has spent nearly $3 billion in drought relief over the past 7 years, so less than $500 million per year (see link). In comparison, agricultural output is around $40 billion per year. From another angle, to put farm assistance in perspective, agriculture exports amount to around $27 billion per year. Agriculture in Australia is a profit industry by a wide margin, both commercially and fiscally."

i said:
"How is that even a justification from visiting burdens upon the many to benefit a special few using government force? Why should taxpayers be forced to foot the bill? I have no problem with you donating your own money, your own time or your own effort to help out your fellow man, but what right do you have to force other people using government coercion to do the same? In a society based on free discussion, the appropriate recourse is for you to seek to persuade others that they ought to voluntarily donate to farmers or such and such cause - not to use coercive power to enforce your attitudes on others."

[Collin Li]

The only argument I can think of that justifies government intervention in farms is that it makes food cheaper. I would then propose food vouchers rather than food subsidies. Otherwise, it is just another special interests group that wants the help of the government (at the expense of the taxpayer)

[brendan]

lol another person replies to me: "Milton Freidman rises from the grave..."

[Collin Li]

lol another person replies to me: "Milton Freidman rises from the grave..."

HAHA, link me. My friend posts on Whirlpool and he says similar things about me.