Ezra Klein calls for disbanding the agriculture committees.  Matt Yglesias comments that the committee structure itself is the bigger problem.  I recommend to both commentators Theodore Lowi’s The End of Liberalism.  Lowi shows through a series of historical examples that agriculture is really a fiefdom inside of American politics.  One that has successfully defeated all attempts to submit to popular rule or public interest.  Lowi comments on a defeated legislative initiative in the early 1960’s,

It is not so odd that wheat farmers would reject a proposal that aimed to regulate them more strictly than before.  What is odd is that only wheat farmers were allowed to decide the matter.  It seems that in agriculture, as in many other fields, the regulators are powerless without the consent of the regulated. (p. 77 of second edition)

This is why I fear that Health Care Reform is ultimately doomed.  I worry for the medical profession, the issue is not “is Plan A better than Plan B?” but rather a question of, “right now we call the shots in our own universe and if we go with the better plan, we pass into the dominion of others.”

Allow me one more quote from Lowi’s classic book:

Liberal governments cannot plan.  Planning requires the authoritative use of authority.  Planning requires law, choice, priorities, moralities.  Liberalism replaces planning with bargaining.  Yet, at bottom, power is unacceptable without planning.” (p. 67 of second edition)

As much as I want President Obama to succeed on issues like Health Care Reform, I find it unlikely that he will be unable to simply bargain his way into taking away the bargaining power of these autonomous regions in America policy.  It certainly seems unlikely that it could be done quickly.