The end of the rope

President Bush does not want another short term extension to hash out seemingly intractable funding details of a new farm bill, setting up a blame game if questions aren't answered by Friday. Just what we didn't want. From the office of Sen. Tom Harkin:

Statement of Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA)

White House Calls for One Year Extension of Current Farm Bill

Washington, D.C. – Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry and the Senate-House conference committee on the farm bill, today issued the following statement after the White House called for a one year extension of current farm law.

“The administration continues to dig in its heels on the farm bill by rejecting reasonable offsets that the White House itself used for other legislation and by now calling for a one year extension of current law.

“The President's call for an extension is just the latest example of this administration's lack of cooperation to enact a new, stronger farm bill. It makes me think that they do not want a new bill – one that makes investments in energy, conservation and nutrition or that extends support for growers of fruits, vegetables and horticultural crops. What we need is for the President to roll up his sleeves and cooperate with the Congress so that we can get this bill done.”