7 Billion

We heard in the news about the world population being 7 billion people now in a story about Islamic versus non Islamic populations. When did that happen? It seems like just yesterday we passed 6 billion people on the planet.

7 billion people is a lot of mouths to feed so we must be doing a good job in agriculture and the food industry for this growth to occur.

The unrest in the Middle East and US cities has over shadowed this news. I don't get the occupy protests and wonder if anyone does. No commentator on TV seems to have the answer, that's for sure.

I bring this up to the people I meet and one said this is just like the 60's, unrest with the government. People against the Establishment, that made a lot of sense.

In agriculture, the committees are working on how much to cut farm subsides, something some people like Ken Cook at EWG has been proclaiming for years. I see they have released their list of farms receiving farm subsidies and how much they have received since 1995.

I still have my same view on the subject. The subsidies were put there for a reason, to help farmers insure an abundant and safe food supply which we have done very well. I am quite willing to give up that security if everyone else gives up theirs. I don't see anyone offering to give theirs up and you even have a billionaire saying he doesn't pay enough taxes. He can pay more if he wants. I think you and I have paid plenty.

The big problem is that the have nots outnumber the haves now and we can't pay enough to support these people at a time of high unemployment and outrageous government debt. This all just didn't happen over night so no plan comes close to balancing the books.

The Fair Tax is in the news. When has taxation ever been fair? Even the tax collectors of Biblical days were labeled, if not persecuted, as being unfair. I think Perry's 20 percent is too high(that's DOUBLE what we should tithe) and Newt's makes more sense, although Cain's 999 plan caused it all. He showed his leadership right there, above the rest.

I don't know where it is all going but it doesn't look good. That is how I would label harvest around here, too, it's not looking good with more rain in the forecast and a lot more acres left than harvested.

I could have resentments over all of this but I choose to just try to keep it in perspective and just do what I can do.

7 billion is a lot of people. $15 Trillion in National Debt I can't even imagine.

Ed