Election Year Politics
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. Decades of House Ag bipartisanship was already declining, but election-year politics seems to have done it in last week.
Democrats were in attack mode, led by House Ag Committee Ranking Member Angie Craig, who asked Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins how many farms failed last year, answering her own question after a pause …
CRAIG … :15-thousand farms…we lost 15-thousand farms because of bad policy on the part of this administration. So, do you know (Rollins talking)…I’m sorry, I’m going to ask the questions here today.” Rollins: “Ok, I would love a question.” Craig: “Do you know how much money farmers lost last year?”
Again, sharp-edged confrontation …
CRAIG … “It was 28 billion dollars. You’re the secretary of agriculture. 28 billion dollars.”
Rollins attempted defenses on trade, fuel and fertilizer costs, SNAP fraud, and more…each time interrupted by Craig …
CRAIG … “Reclaiming my time. You are in power; you own this entire town. Madam Secretary, do you know what…” Rollins: “Can we have a conversation without being so rude?” Craig: “Ah, reclaiming my time.” Rollins: “Okay, I just ask you not to be so rude…I’d really like to have a legitimate conversation.”
But it was not to be …
CRAIG … “Madam Secretary, I’m asking you these questions because these issues, this committee…” Rollins: “You’re not asking questions for an answer, you’re asking questions to make a political statement.” Craig: “Reclaiming my time.”
Chairman GT Thompson ended the exchange, telling Craig her allotted time had expired. But the tone of partisan arguing was set for the rest of the hearing.
