Imported Foodstuffs Not COOL...
From the July 27th edition of the Las Vegas Penny Press
Back in 2005 following my second bout of cellulitis that took me off my job for the second time in three months I began a new lifestyle thanks to the late Don Lemmon, who introduced me to his Know How program. I dropped over 100 pounds and 16 inches off my waist thanks to his combination of diet and exercise.
One of the foodstuffs that Don made a part of his program was fresh or frozen fish. He suggested that because of my precarious financial situation that I eat Tilapia fish because it was so inexpensive. For about three month I ate Tilapia. Then I started getting sick, but only when I ate the fish. I thought I might have gotten a bad batch, but I tried different stores and different brands. Same result.
Then I noticed the label on some of the fish: Product of China.
I dropped the fish and moved to more chicken. I felt better immediately.
I was lucky to see that label, and even more fortunate to find out that most Tilapia in this country was from China. I wouldn’t have known that if I hadn’t found that label. Most of it wasn’t labeled. It didn’t have to be.
For that fact, thank congress.
They’ve delayed implementation of Country of Origin Labeling, or COOL, since 2002. Thank big grocery chains and meat packers who find it most economical to mix US and Mexican beef. They drop big money on Capitol Hill to keep where your food comes from a secret. Alaska Senator Ted Stephens pushed to get labels on fish, not out of a desire for food safety, but to protect his hometown fishing industries, big bucks in the 49th state.
Among those fighting for implementation of COOL are the National Farmers Union, whose president, Tom Buis, constantly is fighting to keep the focus on food safety. In a letter Buis sent to members of the House this week he reminds Congress that with food safety issues dominating the headlines, there’s no reason the law shouldn’t go into effect. “In the face of these overwhelming facts and concerns about food safety, opponents of COOL are again seeking to deny consumers and families the basic information about which country the food they consume comes from.”
House appropriations subcommittee chairwoman Rosa DeLauro has set up benchmarks for the USDA to draft and release COOL implementation rules that are focused on common-sense and limited burden to producers by September 20, 2008.
This is a subject that has attracted lots of attention in recent days with lots of Johnny-Come-Lately’s jumping on the COOL bandwagon. Long before Lou Dobbs and the mainstream discovered COOL (thanks to the problems with Chinese products) we’ve been talking about it on our radio show. But then, up until a few weeks ago the mainstream media portrayed COOL as a “protectionist” measure to keep foreign imports off grocery store shelves. In fact, it’s about choice. If Mom wants to feed her family Chinese pork or Mexican vegetables or Venezuelan beef, that’s her business. But if the kids get food poisoning, don’t come crying to me. It’s no big secret that the USDA and the FDA are so far over their heads when it comes to keeping food safe. Once again, it’s taking the easy way out by dabbling in imported junk that keeps our nation’s food supply of questionable safety. Republicans and Democrats need to step up to the plate and enforce the law! COOL is on the books! Implement it and enforce it!
------------------------------------------------------------
But expecting this Congress (again, what is the opposite of Progress?) or this administration to do anything to benefit the American People is absurd. Look at their approval ratings. According to the AP-Ipsos poll, conveniently published last Friday when most of the mainstream media had gone to sleep for the weekend, Congress’ approval rating has fallen from 35 percent in May to 24 percent now. Compare that to Bush’s approval rating of 33 percent. Once again, the president is the lightning rod, but Congress is the real enemy. And it will only get worse over the next few months. Between Immigration, COOL, Iraq, jobs, taxes, and out of control government spending, this Congress and this administration will be turned out not a moment too soon.
And just think: If you disapprove of the job this Congress is doing, how can you elect a member of Congress to the presidency in good conscience?
Lest there be any doubt, the “major” presidential candidates aren’t for free speech. Particularly at their expense.
By now you’ve heard that Hillary Clinton and John Edwards don’t want you to hear the “lesser light” candidates in the remaining presidential debates. They would prefer to include only themselves and Barack Obama in future debates. That raised the ire of Dennis Kucinich, who challenged either or both to a one-on-one debate. Edwards then responded saying he felt that rather than dividing amongst the upper and lower tier candidates that the number of candidates should be no more than four at a debate, chosen randomly. Philosophically sound, but practically impossible. What few viewers watch the debates won’t tune in to a partial slate. Debates that exclude any candidates are a joke. Come to think of it, most of them are already.
Just look at the Mickey Mouse candidates....
Lest you think the Republicans are in any better shape, you did hear the poll last week that placed the top polling candidate as ... wait for it ... None of the Above!
Fully a quarter of the poll participants rejected ALL of the candidates. Understand, that’s not Undecided. That’s Uninterested. That’s full out rejection of all of the Republican field.
Oh yeah, the Republican’s are toast.
---------------------------------------------------------
Finally, the Democrats have learned how to raise money.
In the second quarter of this year the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee raised over $17 million, compared to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, who raised less than $9 million. The big question is: who’s supplying the cash, and what do they expect in return? Both sides of the aisle are sellouts, we know that. The question is, who’s buying?
WYATT COX
Wyatt’s fund raising for a new copy of Windows 98 continues. Contact him
at americansunriseradio@yahoo.com or http//rant.wyattcox.net
Back in 2005 following my second bout of cellulitis that took me off my job for the second time in three months I began a new lifestyle thanks to the late Don Lemmon, who introduced me to his Know How program. I dropped over 100 pounds and 16 inches off my waist thanks to his combination of diet and exercise.
One of the foodstuffs that Don made a part of his program was fresh or frozen fish. He suggested that because of my precarious financial situation that I eat Tilapia fish because it was so inexpensive. For about three month I ate Tilapia. Then I started getting sick, but only when I ate the fish. I thought I might have gotten a bad batch, but I tried different stores and different brands. Same result.
Then I noticed the label on some of the fish: Product of China.
I dropped the fish and moved to more chicken. I felt better immediately.
I was lucky to see that label, and even more fortunate to find out that most Tilapia in this country was from China. I wouldn’t have known that if I hadn’t found that label. Most of it wasn’t labeled. It didn’t have to be.
For that fact, thank congress.
They’ve delayed implementation of Country of Origin Labeling, or COOL, since 2002. Thank big grocery chains and meat packers who find it most economical to mix US and Mexican beef. They drop big money on Capitol Hill to keep where your food comes from a secret. Alaska Senator Ted Stephens pushed to get labels on fish, not out of a desire for food safety, but to protect his hometown fishing industries, big bucks in the 49th state.
Among those fighting for implementation of COOL are the National Farmers Union, whose president, Tom Buis, constantly is fighting to keep the focus on food safety. In a letter Buis sent to members of the House this week he reminds Congress that with food safety issues dominating the headlines, there’s no reason the law shouldn’t go into effect. “In the face of these overwhelming facts and concerns about food safety, opponents of COOL are again seeking to deny consumers and families the basic information about which country the food they consume comes from.”
House appropriations subcommittee chairwoman Rosa DeLauro has set up benchmarks for the USDA to draft and release COOL implementation rules that are focused on common-sense and limited burden to producers by September 20, 2008.
This is a subject that has attracted lots of attention in recent days with lots of Johnny-Come-Lately’s jumping on the COOL bandwagon. Long before Lou Dobbs and the mainstream discovered COOL (thanks to the problems with Chinese products) we’ve been talking about it on our radio show. But then, up until a few weeks ago the mainstream media portrayed COOL as a “protectionist” measure to keep foreign imports off grocery store shelves. In fact, it’s about choice. If Mom wants to feed her family Chinese pork or Mexican vegetables or Venezuelan beef, that’s her business. But if the kids get food poisoning, don’t come crying to me. It’s no big secret that the USDA and the FDA are so far over their heads when it comes to keeping food safe. Once again, it’s taking the easy way out by dabbling in imported junk that keeps our nation’s food supply of questionable safety. Republicans and Democrats need to step up to the plate and enforce the law! COOL is on the books! Implement it and enforce it!
------------------------------------------------------------
But expecting this Congress (again, what is the opposite of Progress?) or this administration to do anything to benefit the American People is absurd. Look at their approval ratings. According to the AP-Ipsos poll, conveniently published last Friday when most of the mainstream media had gone to sleep for the weekend, Congress’ approval rating has fallen from 35 percent in May to 24 percent now. Compare that to Bush’s approval rating of 33 percent. Once again, the president is the lightning rod, but Congress is the real enemy. And it will only get worse over the next few months. Between Immigration, COOL, Iraq, jobs, taxes, and out of control government spending, this Congress and this administration will be turned out not a moment too soon.
And just think: If you disapprove of the job this Congress is doing, how can you elect a member of Congress to the presidency in good conscience?
Lest there be any doubt, the “major” presidential candidates aren’t for free speech. Particularly at their expense.
By now you’ve heard that Hillary Clinton and John Edwards don’t want you to hear the “lesser light” candidates in the remaining presidential debates. They would prefer to include only themselves and Barack Obama in future debates. That raised the ire of Dennis Kucinich, who challenged either or both to a one-on-one debate. Edwards then responded saying he felt that rather than dividing amongst the upper and lower tier candidates that the number of candidates should be no more than four at a debate, chosen randomly. Philosophically sound, but practically impossible. What few viewers watch the debates won’t tune in to a partial slate. Debates that exclude any candidates are a joke. Come to think of it, most of them are already.
Just look at the Mickey Mouse candidates....
Lest you think the Republicans are in any better shape, you did hear the poll last week that placed the top polling candidate as ... wait for it ... None of the Above!
Fully a quarter of the poll participants rejected ALL of the candidates. Understand, that’s not Undecided. That’s Uninterested. That’s full out rejection of all of the Republican field.
Oh yeah, the Republican’s are toast.
---------------------------------------------------------
Finally, the Democrats have learned how to raise money.
In the second quarter of this year the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee raised over $17 million, compared to the National Republican Senatorial Committee, who raised less than $9 million. The big question is: who’s supplying the cash, and what do they expect in return? Both sides of the aisle are sellouts, we know that. The question is, who’s buying?
WYATT COX
Wyatt’s fund raising for a new copy of Windows 98 continues. Contact him
at americansunriseradio@yahoo.com or http//rant.wyattcox.net
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