Page 9 - Farm Bill Series_The 7 Things You Should Know

Shifting political landscape

Just as the farm economic landscape was rapidly changing, so was the political landscape on
Capitol Hill. Sources involved in the process say they underestimated some of the ways the
political dynamics – driven largely by the Tea Party – would eventually impact the next farm bill
– especially compared to the 2008 farm bill.

Democrats had controlled both the House and Senate when the previous farm bill was written.

In the House, Democrats were guided by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi. She worked closely with
then-House Agriculture Committee Chairman Peterson to rally Democratic votes in support of
the farm bill. And they also worked to override President George W. Bush’s veto.

Pelosi, from California, understood farm state politics better than most. As Speaker, she even
attended the National Farmers Union annual meeting. She spent several hours at the opening
dinner, taking time to sign autographs and dance to a rock band composed of Peterson and four
other House members.

Pelosi knew she also needed the support of her farm state Democrats for other initiatives and was
eager to be their champion. In a 2008 speech on the House floor, she praised the farm bill, noting
that a proposed increase in food stamp funding alone was enough reason to support the measure.

“With this legislation we will help families facing high food prices,” she said.

Several Democrats, led by Rep. Ron Kind of Wisconsin and nudged along by the Environmental
Working Group, wanted much bigger farm bill reforms than Pelosi was willing to accept. In a
direct attack on Kind, a perennial yet unsuccessful farm bill reformer, Pelosi said that while more
reform was needed, the 2008 bill made important improvements.

In with the new, out with the Blue Dogs

Barack Obama was elected president in the fall of 2008 by 69.5 million voters – a record tally for
a presidential candidate. His party controlled both the House and the Senate. The political
possibilities seemed endless. But that wasn’t always the case. Obama pledged comprehensive
immigration reform on the campaign trail. Yet, he could not get a final bill passed through both
houses. However, he was successful in getting Congress to pass his signature bill, the Affordable
Care Act, in 2009.

By the 2010 elections, voters weren’t nearly so kind to the Democrats. In the Senate, the party
was able to hold control with a 51 to 47 majority, along with two Independents who would likely
vote with them. Michigan Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat, took the helm of the Agriculture
Committee. Kansas Republican Sen. Pat Roberts, who had chaired the House Agriculture
Committee earlier in his career, became the ranking minority member.

Although the sitting president's party usually loses congressional seats in a midterm election, the
2010 balloting resulted in the worst losses for Obama’s party in a House midterm election since
1938. Republicans won the majority with 242 members, to 193 Democrats, gaining control of the
chamber for the first time since 2006.

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