Right Wing Organizations Lobbying For Your Ill Health

[elganned]

A liberal and a libertarian. Careful; supporting marijuana is a slippery slope leading to allowing farmers to grow industrial hemp.

Didn't they already do that during WWI for rope production? Subsidized and encouraged by the War Department, as I recall? Naughty, naughty...

One thing leads to another and suddenly you find yourself wondering about the FDA regulating vitamins and keeping cancer drugs off the market for 8 years of testing. Next thing you know, you're a raving libertarian demanding freedom and mumbling something about, "Ron Paul is my President". When this happens, take extra blue pills.

Let's not get carried away, now. I agree that some libertarian ideas are both desirable and feasible [[a rare combination), but I have a legal documant lodged with my attorney that gives a limited number of people the authority to call Dr. Jack for me the day I mutter the name "Ron Paul" in any capacity.

[Lorax]

In today's New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/he..._r=1&th&emc=th


This amazing article on how one young woman's life was destroyed by Bush's FDA sitting on it's ass, defunded by a Republican congress.

Also implicit in this article is the extreme secrecy under which Cargill operates. The world's largest privately owned corporation. They are not required to divulge the contents of, or the origins of their processed ground beef.

Another corporation too large

[oladub]

Uh oh. Fox News just ran a 10 minute segment in favor of marijuana legalization and even saying a couple of kind things about President Obama on this issue. Paul Armentano of NORML and author of book "Marijuana is Safer" is interviewed in this segment.

http://www.dailypaul.com/node/109608 -video link

[elganned]

Marijuana will never be legalized; it's a proven fact that it leads to abortions and gay marriages.
All of which is Obama's fault, somehow--I just know it.

[ccbatson]

Medical Marijuana is already legalized in many states. On this issue, I agree with libertarians...no point in regulating people that will not comply no matter what, and why should the government be involved at all?

[elganned]

Well, it could be a nice source of revenue, like tobacco and alcohol. The government should only get involved to the extent it should with any consumer product, i.e., make sure the product is safe [[not adulterated) and performs as advertised. Beyond that, no need for government to get involved at all.

[ccbatson]

Absolutely not, liberating people is not about creating bigger government...it is the opposite.

[elganned]

...in your view. And nobody's talking about "liberating" anything. [[When did you start using revolutionary rhetoric, BTW?) We're talking about correcting a mistake--well-intentioned to be sure, but a mistake nonetheless.

[ZRX Doug]

In today's New York Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/04/he..._r=1&th&emc=th


This amazing article on how one young woman's life was destroyed by Bush's FDA sitting on it's ass, defunded by a Republican congress.

Also implicit in this article is the extreme secrecy under which Cargill operates. The world's largest privately owned corporation. They are not required to divulge the contents of, or the origins of their processed ground beef.

Another corporation too large

"Bush's FDA?"
Are you seriously THAT insane? It's the same FDA that's been around all along..I'm sure if you do some searching you can find some equally heart-rending stories about "Clinton's FDA" and the soon to be realeased "Obama's FDA" version..
You act as though this is some sort of evil conspiracy.."Yes, yes..of course it will paralyze some young dancer, but think of all the money! Muah-ha-ha-ha!"
Bottom line is that the woman was unlucky enough to latch on to some tainted burger..it's not a vast conspiracy, it's an unfortunate mistake.

[oladub]

Well, it could be a nice source of revenue, like tobacco and alcohol. The government should only get involved to the extent it should with any consumer product, i.e., make sure the product is safe [[not adulterated) and performs as advertised. Beyond that, no need for government to get involved at all.

elgannad, How about if the federal government just stayed out of the marijuana patch if the product didn't cross state lines? Even at the state level, why not allow eg. four plants or an three ounces cured product per household?

One place where government should get involved is regulating impaired driving.
__________________________________________________ __________

Regarding meat; There are both state and federally inspected meat plants. State inspected meat can only be sold in state. The FDA is not involved. I've seen a butcher come out to a farm with a 4wd pickup towing a trailer with a bulk tank. Acow was shot with a rod between the eyes in the barnyard. Its throat was immediately slit. The pickup had a crane that lifted the cow to be cleansed and gutted. The carcass was then swung into the bulk tank and driven away to the meat locker for processing for the farmer. The butcher kept the hide as part of his pay leaving only a pile of guts behind. No FDA necessary. I think that state law has since changed requiring all slaughtering to be done at state and federal licensed facilities. My 10 year old saw this too. He wouldn't eat meat for about two months. Now, as an adult, he is a vegetarian again.

[Lorax]

"Bush's FDA?"
Are you seriously THAT insane? It's the same FDA that's been around all along..I'm sure if you do some searching you can find some equally heart-rending stories about "Clinton's FDA" and the soon to be realeased "Obama's FDA" version..
You act as though this is some sort of evil conspiracy.."Yes, yes..of course it will paralyze some young dancer, but think of all the money! Muah-ha-ha-ha!"
Bottom line is that the woman was unlucky enough to latch on to some tainted burger..it's not a vast conspiracy, it's an unfortunate mistake.

No more nutz than you are, Douggie.

Bush's FDA is the one defunded by a Rethuglican congress intent on making government "small enough to be drowned in a bathtub" to quote Grover Norquist.

Noticed all of the bogus medications approved by the corporate co-opted FDA under Bush, such as Vioxx, Celebrex, Vytorin, Hydroxycut, etc? Gee, not seeing those charming ads on TV anymore, guess why?

Because they were KILLING people. Wake up, and stop being fooled.

What do you have to gain from supporting bloated, unregulated corporations? You must have stock in them, or own one.

No other sane reason.

[ccbatson]

Explain "defunded" please. Like all government bureaucracies, underfunding is impossible.

[Lorax]

elgannad, How about if the federal government just stayed out of the marijuana patch if the product didn't cross state lines? Even at the state level, why not allow eg. four plants or an three ounces cured product per household?

One place where government should get involved is regulating impaired driving.
__________________________________________________ __________

Regarding meat; There are both state and federally inspected meat plants. State inspected meat can only be sold in state. The FDA is not involved. I've seen a butcher come out to a farm with a 4wd pickup towing a trailer with a bulk tank. Acow was shot with a rod between the eyes in the barnyard. Its throat was immediately slit. The pickup had a crane that lifted the cow to be cleansed and gutted. The carcass was then swung into the bulk tank and driven away to the meat locker for processing for the farmer. The butcher kept the hide as part of his pay leaving only a pile of guts behind. No FDA necessary. I think that state law has since changed requiring all slaughtering to be done at state and federal licensed facilities. My 10 year old saw this too. He wouldn't eat meat for about two months. Now, as an adult, he is a vegetarian again.

You fail to mention the meat coming into the country, or assembled from various locations nationwide, as mentioned in the article.

The FDA does have oversight on incoming and transported meat products, a blend of which comes in from places such as Uruguay, as mentioned.

Bottom line, it's another failure by corporate America to self-police, and one area skipped over by a defunded FDA.

[ccbatson]

Just like throwing money at urban schools doesn't improve education, more money to agencies like the FDA will just feed its' prodigious corruption.

[Lorax]

Explain "defunded" please. Like all government bureaucracies, underfunding is impossible.

You're kidding, right?

Geez.

Defunding would be reducing the level of funding an organization enjoyed under one administration, by the next administration. Bush defunded all government agencies that didin't fit the fascist dogma, such as the FDA, Education, Labor, or couldn't be effectively co-opted, such as the EPA, IRS, CIA, FBI, Justice Dept, etc.

[ccbatson]

You miss the point that i make more clearly in #39 above.

[Lorax]

Just like throwing money at urban schools doesn't improve education, more money to agencies like the FDA will just feed its' prodigious corruption.

Yet more evidence that you are a "doctor" in your own mind.

I don't know one genuine doctor that doesn't support strong regulation of the quality and safety of FOOD and DRUGS.

[Lorax]

You miss the point that i make more clearly in #39 above.

Oh, no, I got it- an idiotic point, but I got it alright.

[ccbatson]

Strong does not mean expensive/wasteful/full of corruption as is the FDA.

[Lorax]

Next time you have a thought, let it go.......

[oladub]

You fail to mention the meat coming into the country, or assembled from various locations nationwide, as mentioned in the article.

The FDA does have oversight on incoming and transported meat products, a blend of which comes in from places such as Uruguay, as mentioned.

Bottom line, it's another failure by corporate America to self-police, and one area skipped over by a defunded FDA.

Good point. Foreign meat sales into the US expanded maybe [[rough guess) 15 years ago when some US bank loans to South America were under water. Importation laws were changes to allow in cheap South American beef in lieu of some loans due so that our bankers wouldn't lose their shirts. I don't think this happened during Bob Bergland's stint as Ag Secretary because he was good to livestock farmers.

Pastured Mexican yearlings, in rough shape, are brought over in large numbers every year to be fattened in feedlots here. I doubt that they are much of a health hazard after worming and receiving their shots.

Imported beef does to beef farmers what imported cars do to UAW workers.

So, what big changes have been made to make our food safer and to regulate imports by the FDA under a Democrat President and Congress after 8 months?

[elganned]

elgannad, How about if the federal government just stayed out of the marijuana patch if the product didn't cross state lines? Even at the state level, why not allow eg. four plants or an three ounces cured product per household?

One place where government should get involved is regulating impaired driving.

Impaired driving is already under debate. I'm surprised that you would be in favor of a national program, however, given your penchant for "state's rights", so to speak.

I wasn't actually thinking of home-grown stuff; I was speaking with an eye to the massive bales of weed that cross the border from Mexico daily and fund the crime cartels. If the stuff were legal, importing businesses would spring up overnight and it would be impossible, I think, to regulate on a purely local or state level. Like it or not, the feds would have to get involved.

But if everyone had their own Victory Garden, that would be fine, too.

[mauser]

"states rights" and "individual liberties" my ASS !

Lets be perfectly blunt here.

The Republicans [[read: right wing extremists) and many Democrats are participating in a HOLOCAUST being perpetrated against American citizens.

The Republicans and Democrats that are defending the current system have the blood of almost 50,000 murdered Americans on their hands EVERY YEAR.

Fuck 9/11 - and Fuck Iraq and Fuck al Qaeda - that stuff is all a joke.

The Enemy is Within.

[rb336]

Strong does not mean expensive/wasteful/full of corruption as is the FDA.

no, that is what we have had under the last 8 years, and to a lesser extent, the 8 before that and the 12 before that

[Lorax]

Good point. Foreign meat sales into the US expanded maybe [[rough guess) 15 years ago when some US bank loans to South America were under water. Importation laws were changes to allow in cheap South American beef in lieu of some loans due so that our bankers wouldn't lose their shirts. I don't think this happened during Bob Bergland's stint as Ag Secretary because he was good to livestock farmers.

Pastured Mexican yearlings, in rough shape, are brought over in large numbers every year to be fattened in feedlots here. I doubt that they are much of a health hazard after worming and receiving their shots.

Imported beef does to beef farmers what imported cars do to UAW workers.

So, what big changes have been made to make our food safer and to regulate imports by the FDA under a Democrat President and Congress after 8 months?

Exposure of the corruption done during the Bush years, pulling dangerous drugs off the market, increased funding and personnel. It will take time to turn it around, but definitely more is being done.