Richard Lugar said the legislation defies common sense. Mike Pence called it fiscally irresponsible. President Bush promises to veto the measure.

Yet, both the U.S. House and Senate this week passed a $300 billion farm bill that will shower even more taxpayer subsidies on corporations and some of the nation's wealthiest farmers.

How bad is this bill? It will ladle out $25 billion a year in subsidies and $5 billion in direct payments at a time when farm income and food prices are surging. Net farm income is currently about 50 percent above the decade-long average. The typical farm family now makes about $90,000 a year. Food prices last month, according to the federal government, were up more than 5 percent from a year earlier.

The bill even managed to bestow more largess on the highly subsidized and highly protected U.S. sugar industry. Under the legislation, the government promises to purchase excess sugar from producers at 23 cents a pound. The sugar then will be resold to ethanol producers at 2 cents a pound. Who makes up the difference? You, dear taxpayer.