Subject:
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country bumpkin's 'n' pumpkins
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.off-topic.debate
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Date:
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Sat, 29 May 2004 19:03:19 GMT
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Viewed:
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1516 times
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Don Heyse wrote:
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In lugnet.off-topic.debate, Scott Arthur wrote:
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The reality is that developed countries are substantially responsible for
much of the problems in the developing world. An Example: As I type, the US
& EU are funding farmers, at huge cost, to produce food which nobody wants
using methods which damage our environment. Right now the USA alone spends
$10 billion per year supporting corn farmers.
Because there is no market for this production it is “dumped” on markets in
developing countries at prices which local farmers can’t compete with. These
farmers then loose their livelihood and communities loose important skills.
The great thing about this issue is that you can act locally to help farmers
in developing countries. You can do this by buying
“fairtrade” goods(1). The goods often cost
more, but are usually better quality and organically grown… and they come
guilt free. ;-)
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Hey now, I *am* one of those farmers. Pumpkins, not corn. What do you
recommend *I* do. I can’t exactly dump the extras in developing countries,
but I have donated hundreds to local school fund raisers. Is that cutting
into the 3rd world pumpkin farmer sales? I never realized. It felt so
right at the time.
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Forget the developing world for now. Let’s pretend I’m a pumpkin farming country
bumpkin getting a subsidy from the EU to grow the awful things even though there
is no market for them. Like you describe, I sell my surplus at a discount and
give the money raised to the local school/hospital/whatever.
Question: Would the tax payer & my local environment get a better deal if I were
paid to do nothing and the remaining subsidy were handed over to the local
school?
I expect the answer is yes! I say that because that is what the EU is doing...
just not with pumpkins and the schools don’t get anything directly.
Scott A.
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: country bumpkin's 'n' pumpkins
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| (...) [snip] Holy Cow! I'm finally getting through. Yes! That's what I've been trying to tell you. Take a break from .debate. Grab a toy and start some role playing. You'll feel much better. Let me recommend this one. (URL) comes with a pumpkin, a (...) (20 years ago, 29-May-04, to lugnet.off-topic.debate)
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