Marco Rubio, Big Sugar’s Parrot
November 13, 2015
Marco Rubio, Big Sugar’s Parrot
by Alan Farago
In Florida’s political circles, criticizing Big Sugar is about as popular as whining about coal in Kentucky. It never happens. Suddenly, though, the tectonic plates are shifting around Florida. It is because of a GOP presidential primary completely scrambled by outsiders who are topping the charts.
A month ago, front runner Donald Trump bumped up against Big Sugar when he condemned the closure of a midwestern candy factory and the loss of jobs to Mexico. He didn’t quite get the reason, right, or the outrage.
The one who does get it right isn’t even on the stage: Grover Norquist. Earlier this year, my eyebrows lifted when I read that Norquist, arguably the most effective conservative firebrand in American politics, declared that ending the sugar subsidy in the Farm Bill was his top priority, after cutting taxes. Norquist called the sugar subsidy, “cronyism in its undiluted, inexcusable majesty.”
The reason my jaw didn’t drop is that for decades, the sugar subsidy has been lambasted as the worst form of corporate welfare from conservative news organizations like the Wall Street Journal to conservative foundations like the Cato Institute and the American Enterprise Institute. And nothing changed.
Big Sugar’s perks amount to legalized corruption of the campaign finance system. In Florida, Big Sugar money influence is so great that the industry acts in the state capitol as a shadow government. What Big Sugar wants, it gets. These days, a solid GOP majority in the state legislature, Gov. Rick Scott, and Adam Putnam — the agriculture secretary aiming to replace Marco Rubio in the US Senate — are so deep in Big Sugar’s pocket, you can’t even see them. Not that Floridians are looking.
More:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/11/13/marco-rubio-big-sugars-parrot/
