by Election 2008 Presidential Candidate Orion Karl Daley
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I have not heard other Election 2008 Presidential Candidates speak much
about the current state of American Agriculture, our farmers, and the
future. I wanted to share the following plans that I have with you. I
ask you to also compare it with any Farm Bill in the offering that
comes your way or campaign speech which is suggested to speak to your
best interest. American farmers have been fundamentally subjected to NAFTA and competition in the Free Market; losing one's farm from Imminent Domain , or variable rate mortgages; subjected to the compromised Agriculture Budget, burdened by unreasonable taxes; having to deal with unreliable labor, and handed an elusive promise about Energy Crops. Free Trade has got to be Balanced Trade: In all aspects of imports and exports, for the United States, they have been fundamentally imbalanced. This imbalance is based on nothing more than volume itself. It really does not matter if Argentina and Brazil now grow more volume for export than they did 10 years ago, if in fact we have parity in volume that we export/import with other trade partners. NAFTA does not serve us in this manner. In fact, NAFTA does not offer any fair deal for any of US Exports in addition to American Agriculture. I do not suggest removing NAFTA, but rewriting the agreement so that it is fair for Americans. Until which, no imports should be permitted into our nation. We have a large nation. As consumers, we have become dependent on imports. At this convenience, we have also cost our nation the ability to 'do for itself'. In Agriculture, as imports overcome our ports, the food market has become unfair to American Farmers. To then try to export to make up the difference, the deal is also unfair. Balanced Trade as a policy for Agriculture, first and foremost is to reduce the import volume to where it meets export volume with respect to the same products and services. This drives the price of imports upwards while allowing more domestic volume to be made competitively available to American consumers. Further, many Americans do go to bed hungry, and it is about time our government really helped. Although capitalism can be an asset to all Americans, capitalism left regulated by itself is at its worst. It's sole purpose then is to serve itself, and not the American people. In my plans, Social Welfare Bonds, which are to be tax exempt, are to help subsidize American Agriculture.
Through the Social Welfare bond programs, The American farmer has been provided a market, and if subjected to disaster, is also covered. The American Farmer can concentrate on quality of product, instead of how to make it the cheapest to purchase. By providing Quality Foods to Feed America, the American Farmer has contributed to our Nation's Preventative Healthcare. With Balanced Trade Policies , exports cannot underprice the American Farmer either. Losing ones Farm from Imminent Domain: I have a personal issue with Imminent Domain, as in not liking bullies. It's what imminent domain boils down to. In being told that your farm is going to be acquired in the 'name of the good' for me is unacceptable when given a deal that you must accept which is not at fair market terms. Likewise, I also question the need 'For the Good' if that Farm Land is to no longer exist for our nation's needs. In building political capital with Congress, by working with them, I will pursue Federal Laws for them to legislate, that provide fairness for the American Farmer. Compromised by Variable Rate Mortgages: It is not just farmers, but our entire nation which is compromised by teaser mortgages. Suddenly when things seemed to be stable economically, one's mortgage payment suddenly doubles. This is nothing more than Predatory Lending and simply is Capitalism at it's worst. One does not even have to be concerned about imminent domain taking their farm away , when unsound lending practices are first in line for your farm. What I propose is the following to correct this: 1- To Protect against being abused from future unsound Lending Practices, they are to be simply outlawed. The concept of lending is to be by fair practice only. It is to be for the purposes of bettering the American Farmers quality of life and the quality of life the he/she can offer other Americans. Given the protection of Balanced Trade Policies, and in helping feed America, the American Farmer should not be compromised financially where they become subject to the lose of their Farm and livelihood. 2- To Stabilize and Restructure Variable Rate Mortgages. This is by A - placing a moratorium on foreclosures that are from the result of teaser mortgages; B - Provide Social Welfare Bond Coverage to fill in the financing gap; C- Determine the legitimacy of such loans; D- To restructure such loans where needed based on the Social Welfare Bonds; E- Perform fair arbitration to recover credit worthiness of consummers of such loans; F- to prosecute lenders where other more viable loan conditions could have been offered for the existing market; and G- where determined to repay farmers who have been financially exploited by such lending practices. Agriculture Budget: For the US Government, there will be NO borrowing from allocated budgets with IOU's for other unrelated spending bills. I will pursue Congress to further legislate law that will prevent what has become a 'Deficits Don't Matter' Policy at Capital Hill, where programs are compromised as the result. Social Security has suffered the burden of this imposition, and Agriculture has become the next target of easy pickings. I see that every program to be subsidized by Social, and Economic Development Bonds; and will be galvanized to serve our nation for their intended purpose. This means that Agriculture is to be for Agriculture only. Unreasonable Taxes: Revision of the Tax System has been addressed in this paper. As described, our tax system is is ill-managed first and foremost by its ineffciany inn serving the people; a Tax Gap, that is based on unreasonable interest, penalties; and charges which impare the American Worker for being able to address outstanding obligations. This is while costing our nation the absence of benefit from fair taxation. Tax Gaps that are a magnitude more than they actually should be, are not collectible; adds additional cost and overhead to the IRS; while setting standards and opportunity for Predatory lenders. The Tax Gap is to be sized accurately which is about 1/10th of what is stated currently; Financed so that it is in fact closed; and The American Taxpayer who represents part of this obligation will be provided a structured payment plan which they can live with. No longer will anyone be threated of losing the path toward the American Dream through unsurmountable debt which impacts the Health Safety and Welfare of them and their families. Unreliable Labor: Farmers can have a well defined Labor Force where they are not subject to compromise by either unregistered immigrants, or by standards that are less than needed. Professionally, Service Level Agreements are contracts which can provide this. By allowing workers to Unionize calls upon them to provide a Service Level Agreement based upon a expected wage standard. The Farmer no longer needs to be concerned about hiring labor directly as it becomes the responsibility of the Union in question to provide what is expected. The Farmer, further need not concern themelves of repercussions of hiring unregistered immigrants as this is the Union's responsibility, and no longer that of the Farmer. Energy Crops: Agriculture Assitance will be furthered for the the production of Bio Energy Sources that can be sold as fossil Fuel Supplements and alternatives; and for providing additional cost effective solutions for Public Utilities for use in supplying Electricity.
We can work in building our Economy by the further use of crops used to generate heat, electricity or produce liquid fuels.This is my commitment to you as the farmers of our nation. simply, Let not this country be without you ! 
Orion Karl Daley Presidential Candidate for 2008 Author - The New Deal ISBN: 1419670948 for the Strategic Future of our nation Balanced Party http://unity2008.org New York, NY, USA - 917-297-0763 |