It is simpler than that. Have you checked grain prices lately? They are shooting through the roof, and why is that? Because the Federal Reserve is printing money. Now grains are traded worldwide in dollars. When the money supply is increased, it takes more dollars to buy something as the dollar loses purchasing power. Our inflationary practices are in large part exported both in the trade deficit and hot money flowing to emerging markets. In these countries where a high proportion of the people work for the government, the standard of living is very low. A high percentage of daily income is spent on something to eat. When their government tries to control food prices, it causes shortages. They are tired of it. With the internet, they know things could be better with less government. Helicopter Ben admitted causing the stock market to rise, but refuses to take credit for the high food prices and riots.
Gary G, while the grain prices ARE "shooting thru the roof" let us look more closely at "WHY". While the farmer not only gets "farm subsidies" so does many of their wives, and or children whom do not farm. I personally know numerous farmers in my home town that do, and since it is little known public record, I also know how much they get. One in particular, along with his wife getting duplicate funds gets over $161,000.00 A YEAR, and she in fact is a stay at home mom.
This coupled with the fact that all the farmers in this area have bought their own grain elevators and HOLD THE GRAIN TO DRIVE THE PRICE UP! The farmer has you coming and going, by getting your tax dollar in the form of "farm subsidies", i.e. "farm welfare", and he holds his grain to drive the price up. All the while whaling like a calf caught in the fence about his poor pitiful plight. Most of this is done in the local cafes where the parking lot is flooded with $60,000.00 limited Edition "farm pickups".
After all, you can't expect them to go and check on their illegal Mexican farm hand in anything less than a King Ranch Edition Ford 4 wheel drive pickup with leather interior.
Right now as we type, many farmers in the Texas Panhandle are laughing the butts off at the huge spike in cotton prices, and the news of the coming clothing price increases as high as 30%. Oh, and by the way. Their holding their cotton to drive the prices even higher, and still gettin your tax dollar funded FARM SUBSIDIY CHECK.
This FARM SUBSIDIY racket is as bad as any UNION, and just as corrupt. In a conversation less than two months ago with a farmer that his wife is also signed up, where they get a combined $84,000.00+ a year, he told me face to face, that: HE BELIEVES HE DESERVES THAT CHECK.
He has no idea that not only do I know that his wife ALSO gets a check, but that I know how much they get. He takes 3 and 4 multi week vacations a year, and yes. He and his wife drive two vehicles that combined cost over $110,000.00. Did I also mention that one of his hobbies is ANTIQUE JOHN DEER TRACTORS, and he has several, with more waiting in the wings to be TOTALLY RESTORED and he has the time to do them himself. That's a pretty expensive hobby.
