Calhouns Can(n)ons

Put Down Those Peas and Step Away From The Plate

Interesting article from the Washington Post. Dog food is simply the tip of the iceberg. The USDA (and FDA) has always been crippled by “politics” (lobbying to limit their powers, limit the laws concerning oversight, plus budget cuts to cripple their ability to do even a minimal job, all in the name of corporate profits). With globalization, the problem gets even worse. Laisser-faire-ists would hold that this is simply a “market” problem, no need for any Nanny Government interference. The only problem with that is, Who ya gonna sue when your peas from China have already killed you and now your heirs will have to go to China and try to get a hearing in their courts since you won’t be given standing in a U.S. court since that might offend sensibilities and endanger trade agreements (remember, it’s all about the profit, not the public good)? And since corporations don’t have to disclose where all the stuff’s coming from that’s in that can of soup, how ya gonna know? And are supermarkets required, under law, to tell you where that kumquat came from? I don’t think so. And so it goes.

And it’s only gonna keep getting worse. Unless We the People wake up and realize that perhaps, just perhaps, our health and safety is more important than corporate profits. Gee, ya think? Oh, right, what was I thinking? Never happen.

Well, read (if the link works) it at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/cityguide/index.html?referrer=emailarticle