By FITSNews || S.C. House Minority Leader Harry Ott – one of the most powerful Democrats in the Palmetto state – has received more than $1.7 million in federal farm subsidies over the last fifteen years, according to data published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Ott (D-St. Matthews) received $126,749 in federal subsidies in 2009, ranking him in the Top 100 of S.C. subsidy recipients.
As we reported last weekend, South Carolina farmers have received a total of $1.62 billion in farm subsidies over the last decade-and-a-half, although the vast majority of S.C. farmers – 70 percent of them – receive no government assistance.
To read that story, click here. To scroll through a list of S.C. farm subsidy recipients, click here.
While the government likes to portray farm subsidies as helping alleviate farmer poverty, the reality is that they are helping fund takeovers of family farms by large agribusiness concerns. They also represent yet another example of government picking winners and losers in the marketplace and engaging in functions that clearly fall outside of its core responsibilities to citizens and taxpayers.
In addition to serving as Minority Leader, Ott is also the ranking Democrat on the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. He was first elected in 1998, and has carved out a powerful niche for himself given the deep ideological fracture within the House Republican Caucus.
By eggaday July 28, 2010 at 1:46 pm
go mr ott go… you can have it all if you really really need it.
otherwise, there are a lot of people out here with real needs, like say supper, or a place to live, or their medications……
but if you really need it…….. i mean go on… take it, please.
By Colleen July 28, 2010 at 2:03 pm
The Rich get richer because they have the know hows and the ability to find money wherever. There are wealthy farmers all over-thanks to the Government!
By Philip Branton July 28, 2010 at 2:06 pm
And who EARMARKED these funds for him…..????? CLyburn….???
And who sits by and says NOTHING…….??
And how many small farmers produce Algae Bio-diesel or Algae Jet fuel…??
Do any gas stations offer Local SC Farmer produced Algae Bio Diesel at ANY Price …!?! Do consumers have a real CHOICE between local fuel and Foreign Fuel…!?!
WHY NOT….!?!?
By countryboy July 28, 2010 at 2:17 pm
The Spratt and Clyburn districts account for 59.3% of the Fed handouts.
By Huhhh??? July 28, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Somehow FITSNEWS doesn’t strike me as being really concerned about any family farmer being gobbled up by giant agribusiness.
Giant hog farms seem right up your alley.
By WorkingTommyC July 28, 2010 at 7:07 pm
Kamerad! For the glory of the party and the state, CORPORATE WELFARE!
You fascist Dem-wits should be saluting Ott, Clyburn, and Spratt! These are your party leaders–and they are FASCIST PIGS!
BTW: Philip, your eco-fascist energy independence has already been tried–in the name of national security and self-sufficiency–by Nazi Germany in the 1930s (http://mises.org/books/vampireeconomy.pdf). It was all about socialist control then just as it’s all about socialist control now. Whatever happened to being part of the global community, anyway–at least in terms of trade?
And yeah, I know, most of the Republicans in this state are about as bad. Lexington County’s own fascist king of pork, Jake Knottzi, comes quickly to mind with his own particular brand of corruption and thuggery. He’s the perfect bad example of what happens when institutionalized corruption collides with rampant stupidity.
By Step to the Right July 29, 2010 at 1:03 am
All politicians are rats and liars. Party affiliation is not important. The government “take away” game is just intended to line pockets, get votes and keep the little people thinking they can’t live without more government take-away! Now, don’t forget to hate the rich, believe the lies and hope that your vote will result in something for nothing for you too!
By another thought July 29, 2010 at 11:23 am
So, I guess everybody wants to get their food from China, etc.
And, the lower part of the state gets the most because that is where the farms are. Go gripe about the bankers or lawyers or somebody else who do not actually produce something.
By WorkingTommyC July 31, 2010 at 12:32 pm
Oh, yeah! The politicians are getting between us and our food, eh? Corporate welfare ransom payments (taxes) are therefore the only way to insure that Americans get fed?
LOL!