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Easy Political Win: The National Raisin Reserve
Earlier this week, I suggested that Republicans should identify a short list of easy scalps to claim during the first few months of a GOP presidential administration. The objects of these reforms should be relatively low-risk and non-controversial, and their purpose should be to show tangible proof that Republicans can get substantive — if small — things done in accord with their principles, so as to build momentum toward bigger objectives.
Courtesy of Reason, I believe I have found an excellent pair of targets: The National Raisin Reserve and the Raisin Administrative Committee. Yes, those exist. These derelict boondoggles were initially created during the New Deal and entered their current form shortly after World War II, first as a way to fix prices, then as a method for acquiring raisins for military rations. Today, the RAC confiscates a percentage of all raisin farmers’ crops — as little as 15%, but sometime as much as as much as 47% — often with no compensation. A Fifth Amendment challenge to the whole business is currently winding its way through the courts.
These raisins are then stored in a number of warehouses to be sold or distributed at the RAC’s discretion: sometimes to be given as foreign aid, sometimes for use in school lunches, and sometimes to be used to feed livestock. The RAC funds itself from its sales to the tune of $65 million a year (a good deal of their budget goes toward advertising, whatever that means). Any money that remains is “returned” to the raisin farmers; often times, there isn’t any. The committee is mostly made up of raisin farmers, though many other farmers hate the RAC.
Despite its being budget neutral, the RAC is nearly a perfect target: it artificially raises prices, confiscates property, and does nothing worthwhile that couldn’t be accomplished by a voluntary trade association. Moreover, it’s unpopular among the people it most affects, and those people have great underdog stories (we can ignore, for the moment, whether they’re also receiving federal subsidies for farming).
So, let’s get the candidates on the record on this one. Peter, over to you.
Published in Domestic Policy
Tom, I agree completely. Small easy wins is the way to get the ball rolling. Every department and agency in the federal government has offices and programs that are virtually indefensible. We should simply begin to zero these programs out and make the Dems try to justify their continued existence.
I used to work in a building with some government offices, some were just bizarre.
Edit – I have a picture of one such office door I would love to post if I could figure out a way to do so on my iPad.
Like!
Would love to get VDH’s thoughts on this one. Next podcast?
I heard about this before . . . on Ricochet, of course.
Whether you eat raisins or not, this is something most Americans should oppose.
Death by a thousand cuts to the federal leviathan!
It’s getting harder and harder to distinguish our government from a criminal enterprise.
Criminal enterprises turn a profit.
Ours is extremely profitable!
“How Did Harry Reid Get Rich?”
No con game turns a profit for the marks.
Make that kind of money in the mob while the family is running a deficit and you might end up with a black eye…
Without a National Raisin Reserve, how are we to the assure the national produce security that accrues from maintaining a stock of dried vitis fruit, protecting us in the event of supply disruptions from the grape cartel? Does no one remember the long grocery lines of the 1970s?
After valiant efforts during the Contract With America days we finally abolished the National Mohair Board, unfortunately a RINO snuck it back in the budget a few years later. I’m pretty sure it still exists.
We must not allow a Raisin Reserve Gap!