Since our last exchange I've had a quick primer on how effectively Congress manages to hide the way it benefits from its own actions. I'm still working on finding out which, and to what extent, members of both houses and both parties benefit from the Farm Act. It's clear, however, that the Agriculture lobby is second only to Defense in its extent and embedment in the political process. That said, it is quite apparent from the change in Food for Peace that the goal is support for producers and has nothing (as far as Republican Congresscritters are concerned) to do with assistance and support for people who are starving, especially if they happen not to live in this country and to have different levels of skin pigmentation.
More later, but the end game has to be breaking up the Farm Bill into multiple single topic legislative acts so that it can 1) be dealt with expeditiously, and 2) be more transparent in terms of who exactly benefits from the trillions of dollars being thrown around. In deference to those readers who are now laughing hysterically, I'll go quietly.
Gestation crates? I looked further into those and I'm shocked that ANY state is allowed to use such inhumane encasement for a live animal! To stand in a crate for MONTHS is unacceptable! I'm glad that many states have banned them, but until people insist on humane farming, these practices will continue. I'm so glad I live in California, where we are the leaders in determining what is humane regarding the food we raise for our consumption. And for me, I now limit my own consumption of animals, especially 4-legged ones! Pigs are intelligent animals, and it is just heart-breaking to know they are suffering so much just to feed us too-fat Americans! Free-range chickens and eggs are readily available here in our state, thankfully.
Thank you for your action oriented newsletter and tireless defense of our democracy!
As Joyce Vance always says, we're in this together.
The gutting of animal welfare laws needs to be emphasized. Many people in our country would not be on board with that.
It was your comment that called my attention to it, Hollywood. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Jerry!
Since our last exchange I've had a quick primer on how effectively Congress manages to hide the way it benefits from its own actions. I'm still working on finding out which, and to what extent, members of both houses and both parties benefit from the Farm Act. It's clear, however, that the Agriculture lobby is second only to Defense in its extent and embedment in the political process. That said, it is quite apparent from the change in Food for Peace that the goal is support for producers and has nothing (as far as Republican Congresscritters are concerned) to do with assistance and support for people who are starving, especially if they happen not to live in this country and to have different levels of skin pigmentation.
More later, but the end game has to be breaking up the Farm Bill into multiple single topic legislative acts so that it can 1) be dealt with expeditiously, and 2) be more transparent in terms of who exactly benefits from the trillions of dollars being thrown around. In deference to those readers who are now laughing hysterically, I'll go quietly.
I couldn't agree more, Dave. And you're right -- it would be a Herculean task to break up this monster.
And I feel more like Sisyphus than Hercules.
Gestation crates? I looked further into those and I'm shocked that ANY state is allowed to use such inhumane encasement for a live animal! To stand in a crate for MONTHS is unacceptable! I'm glad that many states have banned them, but until people insist on humane farming, these practices will continue. I'm so glad I live in California, where we are the leaders in determining what is humane regarding the food we raise for our consumption. And for me, I now limit my own consumption of animals, especially 4-legged ones! Pigs are intelligent animals, and it is just heart-breaking to know they are suffering so much just to feed us too-fat Americans! Free-range chickens and eggs are readily available here in our state, thankfully.
It's really shocking what was being done to these animals before Prop 12. If you did that to a dog you'd be arrested.