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THE SPOKESMAN-Rf\llEW Thurs., Feb. 18, 1988, Spokane, Wash.
Trouble blamed on big government By' Cynthia Taggart
Staff writer
COEUR d'ALENE - If the government stayed out of the lives and business of farmers, agriculture wouldn't be in suc.h trouble, a member of the John Birch Society told North Idaho College students Wednesday. "Get the government off our backs and out of our pockets and we'd be all right," said John Vanarsdall, a corn, aHaUa and hog farmer from Nebraska. "It's the same in other industries. Through government intervention, our jobs are being exported to foreign countries." Vanarsdall came to NIC for the 229th Popcorn Forum, a lecture series sponsored by the NIC political science department and the Associated Students. The 75 people gathered for Vanarsdall's talk listened quietly as the farmer told them he believes the U.S. government is helping lead the world toward one-world gove~ent through its foreign policies. "Our government spends $300 billion in taxes for defense," be said. "They're putting that money to use protecting oil tanke.r s in the Persian Gulf." Vanarsdall said the oil is export-
Vanarsdall complained that under the guise of protection of the farmer, the U.S. government controls commodities prices and the amount of production. But, be added, the low prices the government sets for such commodities as corn aren't enough to pay the costs of production. Eventually such a disparity will cause wages to drop and destroy the nation's standard of living, he said. The solution to farm bankruptcies isn't more government "protection," he said. Instead, the government should leave farmers to succeed or fail on their own, be said. If farmers can't cut it in today's marketplace, they'll have to find new jobs, Vanarsdall said. But as it stands, when farmers can't make it, they lose their jobs, homes and, often, heritage, be said. To beef up agriculture, the government needs to charge tariffs on imports or let American farmers Staff photo by ANNE c . WILLIAMS fill all t he nation's agricultural John Birch Society member John Vanarsdall addresses a group needs, Vanarsdall said. Now, to meet import agreements with other at NIC. countries, the U.S. government reproduction of some comed to Japan for cars that the Japa- States, putting the U.S. auto indus- stricts modities and buys what's needed nese are producing at a lower cost try in danger of ruin. from foreign markets, he said. than they can be produced in the "It's all intended to bring about a "We don't have a surplus probUnited States. Then, he said, those one-world government system," be lem in this country," he said. "We cars are imported by the United said. have an imbalance of production."