March 8th, 2012

Federal Farmers, Then and Now

Here’s my latest op-ed, published at the Davis Clipper.


Once the U.S. Constitution was signed and sent to the various states for consideration in 1787, a passionate and sometimes heated debate immediately began. Writing together under the pseudonym “Publius,” the arguments advanced by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and John Jay were widely published and later compiled into “The Federalist.” This group is well known, especially since their opinions ultimately carried the day, and their writings are considered by many to be an indispensable exposition of the Constitution.

Not as well known are the opposing arguments of the loosely connected group known as the “Anti-Federalists,” who similarly penned essays to persuade the public, but in opposition to the proposed Constitution. Despite having not achieved their goal, they are often given much credit and praise for having demanded the Bill of Rights that was passed soon after the Constitution’s ratification.

One of the more prominent Anti-Federalists, also writing under a pseudonym (and whose identity is unknown), was “Federal Farmer.” He was acknowledged by his intellectual opponents as the “most plausible” Anti-Federalist, and two centuries now having passed since his advocacy against the Constitution, he appears nearly prophetic in the warnings he offered.

Federal Farmer’s primary argument was that the general government created under the Constitution would ultimately erode the sovereignty of the states, gradually replacing their autonomy with its increasingly centralized control. Two centuries later, that’s an extremely accurate prediction.

He further argued in his writings that this centralization of power would prove destructive to the liberties of each individual, who would be subjected to the tyrannical mandates of a distant executive authority. Again, another accurate prediction.

Ironically, a compelling example of the very things Federal Farmer warned his contemporaries would inevitably occur comes in the form of other federal farmers. These are not the intellectual statesmen fighting for individual liberty, but rather actual farmers. Why federal, then?

Many of today’s farmers are directly dependent upon the federal government, receiving taxpayer dollars simply to be farmers – a situation not authorized in any way by the Constitution.

The Farm Service Agency, part of the USDA and thus a part of the federal government, has given out 15,000 loans to beginning farmers and ranchers, totaling roughly $1.5 billion per year. This agency offers a variety of financial and educational resources to new farmers, enticing them to try their hand at growing a crop, while having the reassuring security of federal loan guarantees, subsidies, and other financial assistance to make it worth their while.

But whose money is used to shell out billions of dollars to these farmers? Yours and mine.

And with what constitutional authority does the federal government engage in this wealth redistribution program? None. In pursuit of this program, then, a powerful federal government taxes some of us to offer programs and benefits to others, despite not having been constitutionally authorized to do so.

The very things that Federal Farmer warned would happen, while readily evident in a variety of circumstances and settings today, are exemplified in the federal government’s attempt to create new farmers.

One might reasonably conclude that the Federal Farmer of yesteryear would not look so favorably upon today’s “federal farmers” who are dependent upon the government which he warned would become as large, oppressive, and unrestrained as it now has.

Read more: The Davis Clipper – Federal Farmers then and now

7 Responses to “Federal Farmers, Then and Now”

  1. Amber
    March 10, 2012 at 9:10 am #

    I’ll need to get the Anti-Federalist papers. I had also heard that it was the farmers who really supported central banks and fiat money because it was easier to pay off debts with fiat money.

  2. TRON
    March 10, 2012 at 1:01 pm #

    So the FSA’s (Farm Service Agency) yearly budget is 24.8 billion of which 22.9 billion is returned, since most of it is loan grants with interest. Enough so that they are almost self-sustaining. Most of the remaining 1.9 billion in taxes per year that we put into it goes to soil erosion prevention and the studies of new ways to preserve our top soil. To prevent another dust bowl.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dust_bowl

    The reason this is a national security issue (and therefor constitutional) is that during the dust bowl, some parts of the United States lost 75% of their top soil and with it their ability to grow crops. Agriculture brings in 180 billion dollars per year and costs only 2 billion to protect. How protecting this industry is unconstitutional is a mystery to me.

    Then again I wonder if every time Connor sees a cop helping a lady change her tire, he thinks “What a waste of tax payer money.”

    If Thomas Jefferson (the Libertarian President) used federal funds for exploration (Lewis and Clark Expedition, Pike Expedition, and Red River Expedition) then I’m sure that he would find preserving farming to be constitutional.

  3. jimz
    March 10, 2012 at 9:29 pm #

    A very interesting comment above

    “the general government created under the Constitution would ultimately erode the sovereignty of the states, gradually replacing their autonomy with its increasingly centralized control. Two centuries later, that’s an extremely accurate prediction.”

    Why would this be? Is it an inherent fault of the constitution?

  4. Jon
    March 13, 2012 at 12:15 am #

    So does anyone know where to find a free copy of the anti-federalist papers? It’s easy to find one on the federalists papers.

    Also, so why would the scriptures point to the constitution being so great when it appears a confederate would have protected freedom for a longer period of time, or is that wrong?

  5. Brint Baggaley
    March 16, 2012 at 10:05 am #

    @Jon,

    I don’t know where to find the Anti-Federalist papers for free, but can be ordered in paperback from Amazon for almost nothing. (Forgot exactly what I paid).

    I also really liked your question of the scriptural support for the constitution when it seems some of the Anti-Federalist arguments would have supported freedom longer. In my opinion, the scriptural support for the constitution includes the bill of rights, which was pushed by the Anti-Federalists. I don’t think either side had the perfect scriptural argument, but the resulting combination, the Constitution with the Bill of Rights was worthy of such support.

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