farm bill

Obama's 'blueprint' for N.C.

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:58:23 -0400

Barack Obama has released his blueprint for North Carolina.

In a 19-page presentation, the Obama campaign says that it considers the state a "key battleground" among the 18 states where it is advertising on TV.

It also lists several lines of attack against John McCain: Trade policies, high gas prices and a farm bill.

Free Trade: Amplifying a free-trade critique from the primary, the presentation argues that "Bush-McCain" trade policies have cost North Carolina jobs.

Gas Prices: The presentation echoes recent Democratic attacks that blame high gas prices on tax breaks for oil companies and says Obama would give an "Emergency Energy Rebate" of up to $1,000.

Farm Bill: The presentation says that Obama supported a farm bill that would give "support and assistance" to North Carolina farmers, while McCain "vehemently opposed" it.

The presentation also gives some impressive numbers on its ground game: 3,066 people attending 93 county organizational meetings, 5,860 volunteers and 36,747 North Carolinian supporters on Obama's social networking site.

Document(s):
obama-blueprint.pdf

Etheridge tours food banks

ryanteaguebeckwith — Wed, 28 May 2008 12:17:09 -0400

U.S. Rep. Bob Etheridge will tour food banks this week to promote part of the new farm bill, which he helped write in Congress.

Among the Lillington Democrat's stops will be the Inter-Faith Food Shuttle in Raleigh on Thursday, Barb Barrett reports.

The five-year bill includes billions of dollars for nutrition and food assistance programs, including $50 million this year alone to deal with emergency needs by food banks wrestling with increased food and gas prices.

President Bush vetoed the farm bill May 21, saying it did not do enough to reform subsidies to wealthy farmers. Congress now is working to override the veto.

Other stops on Etheridge’s tour include food banks and pantries in Clayton, Sanford and Olivia.

Etheridge: Bush "all hat and no cattle"

bkrueger — Wed, 21 May 2008 14:01:10 -0400

As expected, President Bush vetoed the 2008 Farm Bill this afternoon, immediately unleashing criticism from some Capitol Hill Democrats.

“The president seems to be all hat and no cattle,” said Rep. Bob Etheridge, a Lillington Democrat who helped craft the bill’s final version, reports Barb Barrett. “By vetoing the farm bill the president is standing against rural America and families in need.”

The veto came as no surprise, with Bush saying all along that the five-year bill was too hefty and didn’t go far enough to reform subsidy payments to farmers.

Etheridge defended the bill, saying the “safety net” helps keep farmers afloat in uncertain times.

The House plans a veto override vote this afternoon. Both the House and the Senate passed the bill earlier this month with plenty of votes to override a presidential veto.