NPR reported on the battle in Congress over the reauthorization of the farm bill. They told us that it will cost $280 billion over 5 years.
Okay, they did their job -- the fraternity handshake. I know that NPR has a very well-educated audience, but not one in a hundred of their listeners could make any sense of this number. As they brush their teeth and drink their morning coffee, would they think anything different about this bill if NPR had said the bill would cost $28 billion or $2.8 trillion over five years?
Would it have been so difficult to tell listeners that the bill is projected to cost about 1.9 percent of projected spending over the next five years, or approximately $190 per person per year? Was there really no time top include information that could have informed listeners as to the importance of this program to the total budget and/or people's tax bills?
Unlike many news organizations, the Prospect has remained staunchly committed to keeping our journalism free and accessible to all. We believe that independent journalism is crucial for a functioning democracy—but quality reporting comes at a cost.
This year, we’re aiming to raise $75,000 to continue delivering the hard-hitting investigative journalism you’ve come to expect from us. Your support helps us maintain our independence and dig deeper into the stories that matter most.
If you value our reporting, please consider making a contribution today. Any amount helps secure our future and ensure we can continue holding power to account.
