Obama's Bogus Case for Agricultural Subsidies

At Bloomberg, Josh Barro unloads on President Barack Obama for "pandering to Iowans' demands for federal handouts." He writes:

Obama says we need to "put politics aside" and give farmers their money. This is backwards. America's food policies, which put food producers' interests ahead of of those of food consumers, are all about politics. Farmers are an effective lobby; eaters aren't.

Putting politics aside would mean getting the government out of the farm subsidy business, and forcing farmers to seek profit-making opportunities and plan for risks like other businesspeople do. It certainly wouldn't mean authorizing a new farm bill.

Read the rest here.