While my father and mother were far from apolitical, neither allowed any political signs or flags in the yard or on any barns on our southern Illinois dairy farm.

The reason, my father once explained, was "The land's for crops, the barns for cows, and politics is for politicians." It wasn't public postering; it was a strong, private belief. I can recall witnessing him practice his politics only three times in my presence.

The first was in the mid-1960s when he "shushed" his noisy children one winter evening to hear a news update on whether that year's just-completed Farm Bill continued the 1949 law's milk price formula. It had, and he smiled just before disappearing behind his day-old newspaper.

The second time was in January 1969 when he and Mom left the farm early one afternoon to att

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