What a Fascist sounds like when he opens his mouth

[BitWhys]

Strahl's getting all excited...

..."If you go the prairies right now, I'm telling you, the farmers will tell you what they want is to finally get from the market what's coming to them," the minister told The Canadian Press in an interview.

He said producers can expect to get between $4 and $4.50 a bushel for barley, while the CWB is currently only offering $3 a bushel.

"Ask the wheat board why nobody's delivering barley right now. That's the problem," said Strahl.
"The reason is they know if they wait until Aug. 1, they can make a killing. And that's why they won't deliver to the wheat board - already they won't deliver."

Stahl predicted the CWB will have to sweeten its offer to farmers once they are free to sell to whomever they chose.

"And, hallelujah, it's about time," said Strahl.
...

By maintaining Wheat Board Act Part III Treasury Board guarantees for barley by order-in-council, Strahl's undemocratic actions are forcing ME to put MY money up against the grain reseller oligopoly and he thinks its just great. :angryfire:

 

[snfu73]

This is a subject that I find confusing. There are definitly some farmers that are against the wheat board...but there seem to be an awful lot of them who really want the wheat board to remain. I don't know which is better or worse. I don't know enough about the subject. I just want what is best for the farmers...to keep them on their land and keep them producing the food we...you know...NEED.

 

[Zzarchov]

How is he a fascist?

He's saying that since the farmers grow the wheat, they own the land, they can sell to whoever they want to.

Would you like it if the Government stepped in and told you where you were allowed to work and set your wages according to their desires?

If not, why do the same thing to farmers?

 

[BitWhys]

This is a subject that I find confusing. There are definitly some farmers that are against the wheat board...but there seem to be an awful lot of them who really want the wheat board to remain. I don't know which is better or worse. I don't know enough about the subject. I just want what is best for the farmers...to keep them on their land and keep them producing the food we...you know...NEED.

First of all I'll just say I don't blame the farmers that actually got a ballot for answering the way they do particularly since Strahl said the plebicite was non-binding but that's not to say that I agree for a moment with what Strahl is making of it.

In a nutshell and very roughly the Wheat Board maintains a single desk selling point on the international market for listed grains . Farmers contract their grain to the board for a guaranteed price which is underwritten by the Treasury Board and at the end of the selling cycle recieve a second payment representing the remainder of value above what they originally recieved. On years that the market price falls short of what was guaranteed the Treasury Board provides the funds needed to honour the Board's contracts with the farmers and the Board pays them back later when the market turns around.

I have no problem with this arrangement as long as it remains a collective effort but the dual market option Strahl is ramming through is nothing short of a Fascist's dream and a market monstrosity. For one, the long and the short of it is farmers get to ignore the Wheat Board during the good years and tap into the Treasury in the bad. I don't let my relatives get away with that attitude I don't see how Strahl has any right to drag me into it with the farmers. On top of that it means our tax dollars are going to be used to interfere directly with and compete directly in an otherwise self-regulating market by influencing market mechanisms. Ergo, Fascism. I want no part of it.

What's best for farmers is up to them. If they want to keep the Wheat Board great but if they want access to the public purse in pursuit of stability then let the public maintain full control and get the best dollar they can by maintaining a monopoly. Otherwise they should let the public (and we should insist the public) get out of the business altogether and assume the risk themselves.

Unless Fascism is an acceptable option, that is NOT a false dichotomy. Strahl is hooking a vacuum hose to the public purse to be tapped at the farmer's convenience. Shame.

 

[Liberalman]

The farmers are expecting to get $4-4.50 a bushel in August maybe this year they will get it but when the Canadian Wheat Board is dismantled then the price will drop like a rock because it is a proven fact without the CWB the farmers will get shafted like they always are.

Strahl says that the CWB will have to sweeten the deal so that farmers can get a better price.

Strahl is the government MP who is the boss of the CWB he OKs the prices why is he not willing to let the Canadian Wheat Board pay more for barley to the farmers and the answer is that he wants to dismantle the CWB and he is hoping that the farmers are too stupid to think of it.

When the contract is set that is product at the factory, which the farmer will have to pay for shipping it there or the factory will pay but then the farmers will get less.

Don’t forget this is a pilot project wait until the wheat goes through the same you will hear a lot of farmers complain but by that time it will be too late.

If I remember correctly the farmers had a board before the depression but they got rid of it and the government had to step in and save the farmers ass-ets.

Now some farmers in Alberta want the board gone and the rest of the farmers in Canada want it to stay status quo.

My question is why is Chuck Strahl only listening to Alberta farmers and not the rest of Canada?

 

[BitWhys]

How is he a fascist?

He's saying that since the farmers grow the wheat, they own the land, they can sell to whoever they want to...

He's also saying the public purse will be used to prop up an otherwise open market directly.

Fascism.

 

[BitWhys]

The farmers are expecting to get $4-4.50 a bushel in August maybe this year they will get it but when the Canadian Wheat Board is dismantled then the price will drop like a rock because it is a proven fact without the CWB the farmers will get shafted like they always are...

Typical of those lying bastards Strahl is only telling half the story. That $3.00 he's talking about is the guaranteed price, not the final price. Considering the situation the Board is in right now, they BETTER keep the price low.

 

[Walter]

The CWB is a government-run monopoly and many farmers want a choice in marketing their crops.

 

[BitWhys]

The CWB is a monopoly and many farmers want a choice in marketing their crops.

great

privatize it.

Now.

 

[BitWhys]

That way the get several dozen computers a couple obsolete workflows and a contact list.

what'ya figure? a few million in real assets? goodwill will be shot to hell but the water is under that bridge already.

 

[Toro]

great

privatize it.

Now.

Really?

Are you serious?

 

[BitWhys]

Really?

Are you serious?

one or the other damn straight

half measures availed us nothing

 

[Zzarchov]

Its been quite some time since the Wheat Board has overpaid hasn't it?

 

[BitWhys]

Its been quite some time since the Wheat Board has overpaid hasn't it?

probably

if the market's that good then cut loose and do it without my backing.

 

[snfu73]

probably

if the market's that good then cut loose and do it without my backing.

Do you eat? Do you want to see more farms disappear?? I don't. I don't think Mr. Strahl is one hundred percent accurate. I am for helping farmers out with federal money. I am for helping farmers out with my money...and YOURS...HA HA HAAAA. Sorry. I just think keeping farmers afloat is too important. Whether in order to do that the wheat board has to stay or go is hard for me to stay...but I am for helping the Canadian farmer.

 

[BitWhys]

Do you eat? Do you want to see more farms disappear?? I don't. I don't think Mr. Strahl is one hundred percent accurate. I am for helping farmers out with federal money. I am for helping farmers out with my money...and YOURS...HA HA HAAAA. Sorry. I just think keeping farmers afloat is too important. Whether in order to do that the wheat board has to stay or go is hard for me to stay...but I am for helping the Canadian farmer.

Tell me you don't think the changes in the Wheat Board are going to be some sort of glorified welfare. If you do I'd love to hear what makes you think it will be a good thing.

Subsidies are bad enough even when they're necessary. Having a participatory impact on demand like Strahl's setting up is a recipe for disaster.

 

[snfu73]

Tell me you don't think the changes in the Wheat Board are going to be some sort of glorified welfare. If you do I'd love to hear what makes you think it will be a good thing.

Subsidies are bad enough even when they're necessary. Having a participatory impact on demand like Strahl's setting up is a recipe for disaster.

I dunno. I mean, I think glorified welfare as you call it is a subjective thing. I think it's an investment...an investment in our farmers, our source of...FOOD. I think that it is very important to keep these folks on their land for a variety of reasons....that benefit us ALL.

BUT...do I think the changes are the best way to go? I have no clue. I do not really understand the whole battle. I just want to see farmers on the land and food available. Whatever way works the best for everyone involved has my support.

 

[BitWhys]

I dunno. I mean, I think glorified welfare as you call it is a subjective thing. I think it's an investment...an investment in our farmers, our source of...FOOD. I think that it is very important to keep these folks on their land for a variety of reasons....that benefit us ALL.

BUT...do I think the changes are the best way to go? I have no clue. I do not really understand the whole battle. I just want to see farmers on the land and food available. Whatever way works the best for everyone involved has my support.

Its a poor investment that at best replaces a service that already pays for itself and purchases something as fleeting as somebody else's idea of "choice" at the sole but not solitary risk of my expense.

 

[Zzarchov]

How is that any different than any other form of welfare?

You wanted the choice and freedom to make your own way in life but want a security blanket in case something bad happens and you fall on your face.

Or Health Care, etc etc etc.

Quite frankly our food market does need some protection, because a nation that can't feed itself will quickly find itself being gouged and its wealth stripped away. Key industries need protecting, because other countries with half a brain would love to undercut and destroy them, making you reliant on them.

In the mean time though, seeing as the wheat board hasn't paid over market value in decades, I think I could go with the slight risk, that in the event of a massive depression where such becomes the case we keep our food industry afloat. As that would place the wheat in government hands, and thus keep the populace fed in such tough times.

 

[BitWhys]

So you prefer Fascist to Socialist and Free Market policies. Thanks for weighing in, but for me that rings warning bells.