If you've been fretting that your grocery bills just aren't quite high enough, stop worrying!
Fifty U.S. senators recently guaranteed that you will be paying perpetually inflated prices for a whole range of foods.
You see, the Senate rejected, by a 50-46 vote, a measure that over time would have halted federal restrictions on imported sugar. Those protectionist restrictions benefit U.S. sugar growers but harm American consumers by artificially keeping sugar prices high and raising the cost of manufacturing all sorts of foods.
There was unfortunate bipartisan support for killing the necessary measure -- though there was also commendable bipartisan support for passing it.
"This outdated program puts American companies at a competitive disadvantage, and it should go," Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., sensibly declared on the Senate floor.
For the record, Republican U.S. Sens. Lamar Alexander and Bob Corker of Tennessee properly voted for the measure, as did GOP Sens. Jeff Sessions and Richard Shelby of Alabama. Republican Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson of Georgia regrettably voted to table the reform.
American taxpayers and grocery shoppers did not have a direct vote on whether to continue the costly and counterproductive federal rules on sugar imports.
It looks as though we will have to content ourselves with having a vote in November on who will -- or will not -- continue to represent us in Washington.
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Wait, wait, are you suggesting direct democracy?
Or just stating the obvious?
You want to know another part of the story? America's subsidized food exports have crashed local farms around the world.
Want to work up the nerve to complain about that? You couldn't even bring up Big Sugar, let alone Big Agra.
Liberals and BIG, the only BIG you like is BIG GOVERNMENT! How sweet it is, for so called LIBS.
Incorrect, in regards myself. The only reason I tolerate big government at all is because some problems require big solutions.
Like, or even trust is not a part of it. I prefer continuous scrutiny, at least as long as it's honest.
Unfortunately, sometimes it goes bad...both ways. Witch-hunts and rug-sweepings.
Both exist. Thanks.
What we voted against importing sugar cultivated by a man in a jungle making a $ a day? If only we could get our reps to vote the same way on socks and other textiles then we might get a few of those manufacturing jobs back from that man in the same jungle.(nafta cafta) Or better yet why don't we use his cheap suger for our ethonal and put our corn back in the food chain so we can save a buck at the grocery store. Too much political capital?
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