via CommonDreams:
Published on Wednesday, September 24, 2008 by CommonDreams.org
It's About Americaby Willie Nelson
Originally published September 6, 2003
They say timing is everything. This speech made to the National Farmers Union 81st convention on March 1, 1983. Could have been this morning. It's time for the American people to know why the economy is going downhill. It was going downhill in 1983 and it's still going downhill. Why? We once were strong - now we are not. Why? Eddie Albert knew the answer in 1983. I believe it is still true today. What do you think?
-- Willie Nelson
Entertainer Willie Nelson is the president of FarmAid. FarmAid 2008 was held on September 20th in Mansfield, Massachusetts and included performances by Willie, Arlo Guthrie, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews and Steve Earle. For more information about the concert including a webcast, go here. For more information about Willie's tours and news, go to www.willienelson.com.
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Eddie Albert
81st Annual Convention
National Farmers Union
San Diego, California
March 1, 1983
There was once a strong farm policy. It developed during the other depression -- the thirties.
A lot of thought went on to figure out what went wrong -- why, how, when and where.
Some of the thinkers wanted to prevent another depression. Others had in mind making money out of it.
There were some good farm programs proposed, but there were some strong forces lined up opposing their adoption.
Although in 1941 the depression still continued, there was a war coming on and there were a few intelligent congressmen who realized that if we were to win this war, we must have a strong economic base.
Early in 1942, the Banking and Currency Committee adopted the concept of "parity". Congress then passed the Steagall amendment, which provided for 100 percent parity for all raw materials and the amendment was attached to the "defense act of W.W. II".
Hitler had already done the same thing. Germany had been destitute and gearing up for war, Hitler established a fair price floor for all raw materials. Within a year, Germany was on the road to recovery.
Our recovery started in 1942, the year of the Steagall amendment, but the war got the credit.
From 1943 to 1952, we had the Steagall amendment and economic stability. Farm raw materials were supported at 100 percent of parity. It provided a steady flow of earned income to buy government bonds to finance the war and post-war conversion to peacetime.
There was a sound dollar, no inflation.
There was approximate full employment. ..........(more)
The complete piece is at:
http://www.commondreams.org/view/2008/09/24-5 
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