Sanford Bishop, Agriculture Secretary? Georgia Blue Dog Could Get Post

As the Obama transition team is filling out the rest of the President-elect's cabinet, one name that pops to the surface is Rep. Sanford Bishop.

The Georgia Democrat is believed to be in the running for Agriculture Secretary, and his staff readily admits that he wants the post -- though they say that no deal is "officially" in the works.

"The congressman would very much like to have the position if it is in fact offered," said Bishop's chief of staff Phyllis Hallmon. "But we have had no official interaction with the President-elect's staff."

Bishop's name has been floated in numerous agriculture publications, as well as (mostly local) press. The resume seems, generally, right. He was co-chairman of Obama's Georgia campaign and has served on the House agricultural subcommittee since 2006. He represents one of the largest agricultural districts in the nation and is considered a "go-to lawmaker for Southern farmers."

A blue dog Democrat, Bishop is also regarded as the most conservative African-American Democrat in Congress. He has long championed federal subsidies and price boosters for peanuts (understandably -- they're his home state's biggest product). There are various controversies in his past, including a bizarre bathroom incident on an airline flight in 2002, but nothing seemingly debilitating to his chances.

Perhaps as important: another name being floated for the post, Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, has said she's not interested.

Comments

[Bjarni]

We need to get rid of the farm Subsidies where people who live on farm can collect checks without farming. In the least we need to close the loopholes Agri Business people use to get billions of dollars our of the system for themselves. We shouldn't reward people who grow certain types of food rather than others causing people to grow the same crop over and over again causing them to deplete the earth and having to use tons of chemicals to keep raising the same crop.

[vjoseph]

YESSSSSSSS­SSSSSSSSSS­SSSSSSSSSS­SSSSSSSSSS­SSSSSSSSSS­SSSSSSSSSS­SSSSSSSSS

[CaptainVideo]

But look at the possibilities. Aid to the auto industry could be attached to a bill giving subsidies to cotton and peanuts. That would shut up people like Senator Shelby.

[Judyisacutie]

Maybe small farmers might actually get the federal loans that they've been promised which have been held up for years, if there are any still out there.

[postman606]

Reminds me of that creepy Michael Steele.

[MildenHall]

Looks like a real life Clay Davis.

[Ajita]

This is one choice that I hope Obama does not make. This guy has been on the side of giving huge subsidies to the agricultural industry. Subsidizing of the agricultural sector has to end. Much of the hatred of the WTO around the world can be traced back to US and Europe's subsidized crops being forced onto agricultural economies in the third world, leading to loss of local traditional agriculture and huge losses to local farmers worldwide. In India alone thousands of farmers have committed suicide because the country is forced by the WTO to buy subsidized US rice and wheat.

We don't really need these food crops, and the federal government loses billions every year over this. The only reason that we do it is because of the powerful lobbies of the industrial farms who pressure the government into giving them farm subsidies. It is large scale corporate welfare that is destroying poor farmers everywhere. Every year, where ever the WTO meets- Malaysia, Brazil, India, Indonesia.­.. there are always thousands of protesters because of this issue.

So, this would be a bad choice for Obama to make.

[thelindyhopper]

I agree. In addition to these worldwide issues, the subsidies also affect public health negatively. The sugar lobby gets together with the corn lobby to keep sugar quotas and get corn subsidies. As a result, the price of corn is artificially low and that of sugar is artificially high. So, while the rest of the world enjoys good old sugar, we make all our food with high fructose corn syrup.

A definite no.

[vjoseph]

Speculations are just that, speculations

[vjoseph]

Agreed on your points. That is why the Doha Round fail, because of those subsidies.

[isis]

Please no.

[laucarlson]

Obama needs to restructure the Department of Agriculture, removing Forest Service, Food Stamps, School Lunch, and other programs that suffer at the hands of the commodity agriculture lobby. Also, the FDA. Put them under other departments. We need a food policy, not a farm export policy.

[marinade]

It seems pretty clear.

[musselmanm]

Tommy Chong will have to be seen on the short list!
Chong for AG!

[humannature]

Sorry, he's my representative, but after his behavior/i­nvolvement with the "coronation" of Rev. Moon in legislative chambers a few years ago -- I think this is change we DEFINITELY do not need.

[Atlantajan]

Oh, hell no. That Blue Dog list upthread is inaccurate. Sanford Bishop is the bluest of the Blue Dogs. He has no business being Secretary of Anything. He is a corporate shill, who consistently sides with the Bush Administration on virtually everything controversial.

He would be horrible.

[SethBLiNK]

I'm always confused about what makes a person liberal or conservative. It seems that in the Agricultural world, somebody who approves subsidies is considered conservative, because that's pro-business. But isn't that also "Big Government­."

I guess we need two names, small government conservatives and what would we call the other? You could say, since government is providing help to business in the hopes of boosting the economy, that they are trickle-down conservatives, but having read that story about the airplane, I think we should avoid that phrase with this particular congressman.

[musselmanm]

I'm pretty sure they are fiscal conservatives and social conservatives.
As a lefty dog I am not positive.

[vjoseph]

Giving subsidies is counter to everything that is fiscal conservative. That is why I find the GOP so hypocritical. They aren't against subsidies but they are against helping employees keep their jobs. Sickening

[blowhard]

These folks are getting uppity these days

[ebanks84]

Please don't be ignorant. It's not necessary!

[vjoseph]

NO TO SUBSIDIES. Saxby and his merry go round in GA gives away 195 millions of taxpayers money to rich farmers. NO, NO, NO. NO MORE OF THAT B S

[pinseeker]

I think subsidies for agri biz were here before saxby and will be after saxby, they started with FDR.

[vjoseph]

I am pointing out to the hypocrisy of the GOP in that instance

[BearsLeft]

Here in Colorado the scuttlebutt is that Rep. John Salazar is on the short list:

http://www.politickerco.com/jeremypelzer/2897/post-john-salazar-short-list-agriculture-secretary

[shaytoonee]

NO.... not a good pick.

[vjoseph]

He's not a pick. Read the article