Mitt Romney blasts 'hostile and remote' federal government ... at farm preserved with federal funds

Mitt Romney's campaign took this photo of their candidate railing against federal spending at the federally funded Scamman Farm in New Hampshire. Last month, he slammed a $150,000 federal grant to a historic 19th century bridge which will be turned into a community park. Mitt Romney earlier today, kicking off his five-day bus tour from a Stratham, New Hampshire farm owned by one of his supporters:

For so many Americans, the distance their town and the city of Washington has never seemed so far. The federal establishment has never seemed so hostile and remote. [...] Washington's big government agenda shouldn't smother small town dreams.

Romney said the great thing about small towns like Stratham is that they don't need government handouts:

This is the America known for thriving farms ... nourished and sustained by hard work. [...] Freedom and free enterprise are what create jobs, not government.

And Romney promised that if the people of places like Stratham elect him president, then "the era of big government will really be over."

Of course, there is one little thing worth pointing out about the farm from which Romney spoke:

It's owned by Doug and Stella Scamman, two former Republican state representatives. In 2004, George W. Bush held a large rally at the site during his reelection bid. And in 2010, an effort to preserve the farm using federal funds was successfully championed by a Romney supporter and the Republican chair of Stratham's Board of Selectman, David Canada.

That effort resulted in the Scamman farm receiving $950,000 through the Federal Farm and Ranch Land Protection Grant. The federal funds were matched by contributions from the town.

But other than the part about being completely full of shit, everything that Romney said was quite eloquent.