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Kind, Blumenauer hope netroots deliver support for new farm bill |
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By Jonathan E. Kaplan
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Posted: 06/29/07 07:12 PM [ET] |
Democratic Reps. Ron Kind (Wis.) and Earl Blumenauer (Ore.) are harnessing the Internet, which politicians normally use to raise money, to organize support for an alternative farm bill.
Kind and Blumenauer have turned to the so-called “netroots,” a class of left-leaning and liberal activists, to rally support for a bill that would reduce and redirect farm subsidies to rural development, conservation and nutrition programs.
Farm bills normally are authorized for five years; the current farm bill expires in September.
Kind, a former Harvard quarterback, introduced two reform measures this year: the Healthy Farms, Foods, and Fuels Act, which would double spending on conservation and biofuel programs; and the Food & Agriculture Risk Management for the 21st Century Act (FARM 21) measure, which would eliminate current subsidy programs.
He first introduced FARM 21 in 2002, when it received 210 votes. But a House Agriculture subcommittee last week overwhelmingly rejected changes to the farm subsidy programs.
For now, Kind and Blumenauer, neither of whom serve on the Agriculture Committee, have employed the tools of the Internet to gin up support for the alternative farm bills.
“The work we’ve been doing with the netroots is to broaden the conversation,” said Blumenauer. “One of the things that impeded the opportunity for badly needed reform in 2002 was that the conversation was just too limited.”
The Oregon lawmaker, who is fond of sporting bowties and riding his bike to work, has used campaign money to create a website, FoodandFarmBillofRights.com. He has also discussed the proposed reforms at TPMCafe.com, an offshoot of TalkingPointsMemo.com, while the Nebraska-based Center for Rural Affairs, a think tank critical of FARM 21, interviewed Kind on the liberal website MyDD.com.
The lawmakers will host an online forum early next month at BlogTalkRadio.com, where people can listen to a live stream and call in to offer questions or comments.
Despite the Agriculture subcommittee’s rejection, Kind said the environment is already much different than it was five years ago, and he believes that the Internet allows more people to “buy into” the idea of reform.
“So many more people are tuning in,” he told The Hill. “I’ve never seen this level of focus leading up to the reauthorization of the farm bill.”
Kind said several members have told him that they are getting more phone calls and e-mails related to his proposals. But the real test will take place later this summer or fall, when the farm reauthorization bill is considered on the House floor. Kind’s and Blumenauer’s efforts to pass a restructured farm bill that has existed in some form for 60 years could put the netroots activists at odds with some of the first-term Democrats they helped elect last year.
Freshman Democratic lawmakers from heavily agricultural districts might not want to oppose Agriculture Committee Chairman Collin Peterson’s (D-Minn.) bill, which includes sizable price subsidies for wheat, corn and soybean farmers. The farm bill also includes money for the Food Stamp program and rural development programs.
Blumenauer acknowledged that his initiative needs a turning point to get people to home in on the nuances of the farm bill. It is difficult to discuss complex legislation, which does not engender passionate support or opposition from people outside of the farming community, he added.
“This is not just going to be something that is cooked up with a few people that will benefit a small slice of American agriculture,” Blumenauer added.
Nevertheless, if Kind and Blumenauer succeed, it would signal a new level of power for Internet activists. The netroots helped Democrats stop President Bush’s plan to private Social Security, and they have played a role in several other legislative battles.
Both lawmakers realize they have a long way to go before scoring a win on the House floor.
“It is not easy making changes, even if they do benefit more farmers and more Americans,” said Blumenauer. “Part of the reality [is that this] is not the easiest sell.”
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