Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) — so fond of accusing the Obama administration of foisting socialism on an unwilling America — has apparently been the recipient of about a quarter of million bucks in government handouts.
Liberal site Truthdig links to an Environmental Working Group analysis of federal agricultural subsidies and found that the Bachmann family farm, managed by her father-in-law until his recent death, received $251,000 in farm payments between 1995 and 2006.
Bachmann’s financial disclosure forms indicate her stake in the Wisconsin farm is worth up to $250,000. Her income from the farm has grown from $2,000 a year a few years back to as much as $50,000 for 2008.
Truthdig calls her a "Welfare Queen": [...]
There can be welfare kings too. Mark Wicks is the Montana Special Election Libertarian "downsize-government-now" candidate; and Cowgirl Blog in publishing of his candidacy drew this comment thread (click the image to enlarge it and read):
That is candidate Wicks, who is participating in the comment thread. As said before, Wicks, who farms, is a more appealing candidate than the Republican whose sole experience, a specialized niche software product sold to other businessmen, (with that young venture sold for big bucks to a more established player buying up technology), qualifies him more to represent Silicon Valley venture capitalists and their funded startups than Montana, with its resource based economy rather than a high-tech services one and where land is held over generations and worked by families, not pursued to a quick killing to enable setting up a tax-hating diversified portfolio for holding and trading stocks and other worldwide investment assets.
Rob Quist, the Democrat, works a ranch. And he endorses government aid, the VA's "socialized medicine" activities, Medicare and Medicaid; and advocates Universal Single Payer Healthcare Coverage as a right.
For those not cognizant of "CRP payment" meaning and dimensions; this websearch. In a nutshell it pays a yearly rental payment in exchange for farmers removing environmentally sensitive land from agricultural uses.
Hence, CRP is government land management policy in action, and will it be curtailed under Trump? That is a separate question.
BOTTOM LINE: There are Tea Party players who will hold up a sign, "Don't Take My Social Security." Strange animals on Animal Farm.