Despite bipartisan effort to reduce farm subsidies, today the Republican-controlled House passed a controversial food and farm-spending bill. This measure calls for deep cuts in food aid, both at home and abroad.
The bill slid by in a 217-203 vote. It would give the Ag Department and the FDA $17.3 billion for day-to-day operations. But, the Women, Infants and Children program, which helps feed and educate low-income mothers and their kids, would get slashed by $868 million or 13 percent.
Farmers (1), Women, infants and children (0).
An international program providing emergency aid and ag development would drop by more than $450 million, which is one-third of the program's budget.
This issue makes the timing of a new viral video all the more interesting. The clip, “The Whole Foods parking lot” has been getting tons of traction on the web this week. The mock rap video chronicles the rough and tumble life of a Whole Foods customer by featuring a kale-purchasing Starbucks-toting yuppie. (H/T Last Word senior producer, Kate Albright-Hanna).