Corn Subsidies: Powerful Special Interests or Worthwhile Support?

Subsidies to corn have two intentions: support American farmers from volatility and foreign competition, and promote the use of corn ethanol as an alternative fuel. But research shows that the supposed gains from subsidizing corn don't add up; there is little evidence that farmers couldn't sustain themselves without the subsidies, and corn ethanol does very little for the environment and energy independence even under the most promising estimates. If this is the case, why do we keep putting billions of taxpayer dollars into these programs? Lend us your ears and see what's really going on behind the scenes of corn subsidies in America.