South
must unify as conservatives
I read with interest Bill Minor's column about the Dixiecrats,
especially the quote by the late Oliver Emmerich about the thinking of
the rednecks, the coonasses, and the hillbillies being acceptable to the
political elite ("How Dixiecrats became South's Republicans told in new
book," Sept. 21).
The South has been conquered by the divide left by conservatives
leaving the once-solid Democrat South. The void has been replaced by the
Democratic Leadership Council led by the Clintons and the Rockefeller Republicans
led by the Bushes.
In 1964, my neighbor Prentiss Walker left the Democratic
Party to run as a Republican for Congress. Prentiss rode Barry Goldwater's
coattails to victory in Mississippi for Congress, because the Democrat
convention in Atlantic City that year refused to seat the party regulars
in favor of the Freedom Democrats.
The splintering of the one-party conservative South has
been exploited by the financial elite, by passing NAFTA and other devastating
laws, which would not have been possible earlier.
We in the South have paid for this split with our economic
lives. The South must reunite as one conservative party not dominated by
the financial interests of the Northeast.
United we stand, divided we fall - black, white, rich
and poor.
Yes, Mr. Emmerich was right that the political elite
accepted the division, most probably helping to egg it on even to this
day.
Clyde Magee
Mize
It's the farm economy, stupid!
Low farm prices cause recession, depression and national
debt.
Here is the reason why.
In 1950 Farm income was $13.5 Billion out of a total National income
of $241 Billion. Fifty years later Farm income increase to only $30.6 billion
in the year 2000. During this same time period National income increased
to $7.98 Trillion, or a 3211% increase; Wages went from $155.4 Bilion to
$5.7 Trillion, a 3577% increase; Government went from $22.6 Billion to
$768.4 Billion, a 3300% increase; and Nonfarm Income went from $25.1 billion
to $684.4 Billion, a 2626% jump. All these segments of our economy have
reaped the benefits of our nation's farmers producing themselves into starvation.
That $13.5 Billion in 1950, at the least, should be $300 Billion when compared
with the rest of the economy in the year 2001. These figures came from
the Department of Commerce if you
care to look. Farmers need a farm bill, but not one that subsidizes overproduction.
Low farm prices are the MAIN cause of recession, depression, and National
Debt.
Many economists are convinced that low farm and commodity prices cause
economic recession and depression. For many decades the products of farms
have sold at prices below the cost of production. The difference is a net
loss which shows up in the national debt. As farm losses accumulate, the
national debt increases.
This accumulating loss can only lead to economic difficulties for the
nation.
Parity
Although the United States has a generally free market trade system,
there are regulations to prevent monopolies and other situations which
inhibit free trade. One system put in place in the 20th century to protect
farmers and the economy at large is Parity. The idea behind Parity is to
keep farm and commodity prices consistent with prices in other sectors
of the economy.
For the past 50 years or so, commodity prices have not kept pace with
other prices. Even though the expenses for farmers, such as farm equipment,
fertilizer, and seeds, have risen along with everything else in the economy,
prices of commodities and thus farm income have not kept pace. When farmers
are forced to sell their products at a price less than it costs to produce
them, they go into debt. Every year they go deeper into debt and the national
debt increases.
Congress passed laws to regulate farm prices to prevent this situation
from worsening. But today these laws are not being enforced.
The entire economy depends on farmers and other producers who make the
goods the rest of the nation consumes. If the producers are unable to make
a living, everyone will suffer eventually. The economy cannot survive.
You can help. Let your representatives in congress know that you are
in favor of Farm Parity.
Contact your representatives at one of the following addresses:
http://www.house.gov/writerep/
http://www.senate.gov/
http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/1411/
For further information, details, and statistics supporting the concept
of Farm Parity, see these recommended web pages:
http://www.bea.doc.gov/bea/dn/nipaweb/TableViewFixed.asp
http://www.bea.doc.gov/bea/dn/nipaweb/
http://www.normeconomics.org/
http://www.normeconomics.org/transcript.html
http://www.normeconomics.org/distribution.html
http://buffalo-creek-press.com/parity/pressrel.htm
http://buffalo-creek-press.com/parity/lostinc.htm
http://buffalo-creek-press.com/parity/index.htm
http://normbook.homestead.com/
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