S.510 Fake Food Safety: Forcing the collapse of domestic agriculture

[Joe Tittiger]

S.510 Fake Food Safety: Forcing the collapse of domestic agriculture

If food safety were the real issue…we would close down the USDA and FDA corporations immediately.  S.510 is not intended to, and will not do
anything other than stifle economic growth, kill off the domestic
agricultural sector and hand that sector over to corporate predators.   

S.510,  just as the CLEAR Act, Cap & Trade, and a host of other offensive pieces of legislation is nothing more than a system of fees, fines and royalties meant to generate revenue while at the same time
forcing individuals to keep records intended to be used for no other
purpose than compiling a criminal case against themselves.  These
records can be seized on the whim of the “secretary” who can at his/her
leisure, decide that they “believe” you represent a risk: no evidence
needed.

Just as the appointment of Michael Taylor, the Monsanto hired gun, to the post of “food czar” in the White House was no coincidence, neither is the pandering to Monsanto and other multi-national corporations
intent upon owning and controlling food prodution and supply in the US
in the text of S. 510. 

Both the USDA and FDA were created using the Administrative Procedures Act (APA) of 1946.  Even if this act were constitutional, the federal government is precluded from entering into agriculture as it is
not in the enumerated powers of the federal government.  Agriculture is
non-positive Code & Tile (7) and cannot be codified into law as it
is a right reserved to the states.  Creating fictional public service
agencies, which are in reality privately chartered corporations, held by
the federal government to by-pass Constitutional restraints, on the
federal government makes them no less unlawful.

Contrary to comments from various national organizations and groups, the last thing we need to see happen is the expansion of power and reach of either the USDA or, the FDA.

Both of these corporate federal agencies have a long history of harming the public while deferring to corporate contracted partners who make sure both agencies are profitable even if the public is harmed.  

On the other hand, it is no surprise to see national food organizations of all kinds jumping on the bandwagon to support this coup, hoping, I guess, that if they throw the rest of us under the bus
they might be able to secure special treatment for themselves.  The
organics producers did.

Having struck from the bill nearly every provision that would have required inspection and certification of imports from foreign countries, the US food supply will be more vulnerable than ever to contaminated
food products from countries such as China, which has imported so many
contaminated products into the country that its difficult to keep up
with what might be the latest threat.  These contaminations will of
course be ignored as they have been in the past by both FDA and USDA and
all attention will be focused on harassing and terrorizing domestic
producers in an effort to force them out of business. 

While the FDA highlighted some of the most recent outbreaks of food borne illnesses, it failed to mention that the jalapeno pepper scare was the result of peppers from Mexico which entered the country under the
self-inspection guidelines.  The contaminated milk products were from
China and contained massive amounts of melamine.  FDA’s response was to
set an allowable level of melamine contamination in our food, apparently
unaware that it is hazardous at any level.  

In almost every instance that FDA highlighted as the cause and need for more power, the source of the threat came from outside the US and was allowed to enter the food supply un-inspected.  Instead, FDA, just
as the USDA, is pulling out all the stops in its efforts to terrorize
and harass domestic producers and suppliers, and to end anything but
industrialized corporate agriculture.  After all, these corporations
keep the FDA and USDA awash in funds.

Considering the FDA’s long history of approving toxic and deadly medications for public use, I think it is safe to say the FDA cannot be, and should not be, empowered at all.  This is an agency that represents
a national threat as it will approve any deadly medication if the price
is right.  As this agency is so derelict in its duty to objectively
test pharmaceuticals and to identify potential hazards and lethal
medications and prevent them from coming into the market, why in the
world would anyone consider giving this corporation more power and
greater reach especially over any sector of food production?

The USDA, which is intent upon ending raw/fresh milk sales as it colludes with New Zealand Agri-tech to end private dairy operations in the US is the same agency that manipulates milk prices across the US to
make sure there is no profit in dairy operations unless a massive
corporation is allowed to monopolize the market. Thousands upon
thousands of dubious regulations implemented without congressional
oversight have been foisted onto the public; most of which have no other
use or purpose than to make food production so untenable that
generational farms and ranches collapse as a result.  This is the
intended result of those regulations: ending anything but corporate
agriculture.

The USDA, charged with inspection of imports, inspects less than 1% of containers coming into the US.  Yet it spends an estimated 70% of its taxpayer funded budget, conducting raids, doing surveillance, and
co-opting state agricultural departments and other departments, in its
efforts to seize control of the US food production and supply to benefit
multi-national corporations. 

The FDA may be the most lethal of the two agencies, both of whom perpetrate a deceptive fraud on the public, portraying themselves as “public service” agencies when in fact, they are privately chartered
corporations, operating for profit at any cost.  The idea that taxpayers
are forced to fund either of these agencies through congressional
edicts is tantamount to having to pay for your own executioner and the
blade too.

 The last thing we need to be considering is the expansion and empowering of these two agencies which are for sale to the highest corporate bidders.

[Ted M.]

This is very worrisome, and made even worse by the fact that this is exactly what most people want. The FDA has managed to convince everyone that food security is this important, and more more more legislature is required to keep people safe from themselves.
A recent article on activist website Care2.com boasted both the benefits of farmers markets and S.510 in one. I also have an inkling suspicion that S.510 is H.R. 875 disguised, or else just redone. Can't be sure, I don't have that much knowledge of Congress...
which is the opposite of Progress...

[Joe Tittiger]

I agree with you that many of our neighbors that do not understand freedom and the principles that this country was founded upon are our worse enemies.

You might try Dr. Mary Ruwart's free eBook as a way of educating those that have ears and eyes:

http://www.ruwart.com/Healing/ruwart_all.html

IMHO some people just like being dumb/uniformed.

Ted Murphy said:

This is very worrisome, and made even worse by the fact that this is exactly what most people want. The FDA has managed to convince everyone that food security is this important, and more more more legislature is required to keep people safe from themselves.
A recent article on activist website Care2.com boasted both the benefits of farmers markets and S.510 in one. I also have an inkling suspicion that S.510 is H.R. 875 disguised, or else just redone. Can't be sure, I don't have that much knowledge of Congress...
which is the opposite of Progress...

[David Dain Smith]

"The FDA may be the most lethal of the two agencies, both of whom perpetrate a deceptive fraud on the public, portraying themselves as “public service” agencies when in fact, they are privately chartered
corporations, operating for profit at any cost."

Where is the source for this? The FDA is a government agency, not a private corporation and certainly not 'for profit'. Drug companies pay user fees to the agency. For every mistake the FDA has made they have also helped to regulate the development of life saving and life changing beneficial medications.
I agree big Agribusiness and big Pharma need watching. Who do you propose to do that if FDA and USDA are dismantled?

The FDA is certainly not perfect, and frankly I am no fan of S510 but inflammatory statements make credibility difficult.
It is no wonder recent editorials in the News-Leader call for a more balanced and rational discussion of food policy.

[Ted M.]

David Dain Smith said:

"The FDA may be the most lethal of the two agencies, both of whom perpetrate a deceptive fraud on the public, portraying themselves as “public service” agencies when in fact, they are privately chartered
corporations, operating for profit at any cost."

Where is the source for this? The FDA is a government agency, not a private corporation and certainly not 'for profit'. Drug companies pay user fees to the agency. For every mistake the FDA has made they have also helped to regulate the development of life saving and life changing beneficial medications.
I agree big Agribusiness and big Pharma need watching. Who do you propose to do that if FDA and USDA are dismantled?

The FDA is certainly not perfect, and frankly I am no fan of S510 but inflammatory statements make credibility difficult.
It is no wonder recent editorials in the News-Leader call for a more balanced and rational discussion of food policy.

That is a good idea, unfortunately, there is no clear evidence of what exactly makes Blanced and Rational food policy. The current systems are in favor of Big Ag and in complete disfavor of small farmers. There also is no area specifically aimed at GMOs. We can call for more FDA reform all we want, but the solution to bad government seems to be more government. Which is not right.

[Joe Tittiger]

David Dain Smith said:

"The FDA may be the most lethal of the two agencies, both of whom perpetrate a deceptive fraud on the public, portraying themselves as “public service” agencies when in fact, they are privately chartered
corporations, operating for profit at any cost."

I think the real issue here is that all of our unconstitutional alphabet-soup government agencies are in the first place monopolies not whether or not they are incorporated, a trust, or an LLC etc. In the second place they all seem to be controlled by the very people that they are supposed to regulate.

The solution? The free market of course. How long do you think the FDA, EPA, etc. could go on being so incompetent if they carried no force of law and that there were free market alternatives for those that wanted to use another service?

If you want an example of a free market company like I refer to, you need look no further that UL ( i.e. Underwriters Laboratory) which is the defacto standard for electrical safety in the United States. While not totally free market in that agencies such as OSHA have regulations that are mandatory and supercede UL if there are conflicts, it does show the potential for competition (free market) in the services we use to protect our safety.

[David Dain Smith]

"I think the real issue here is that all of our unconstitutional alphabet-soup government agencies are in the first place monopolies not whether or not they are incorporated, a trust, or an LLC etc. In the second place they all seem to be controlled by the very people that they are supposed to regulate.

The solution? The free market of course."

"but the solution to bad government seems to be more government. Which is not right."

Thanks to you both for sharing your thoughts,

I think the issue of this thread is we have to be careful about posting inaccurate statements about agency being corporations. People read this stuff and WFNA needs to have a non-partisan reputation imho... I'm just saying...if we must have a tea party, keep it decaf ;-)

Also, it is widely assumed we have 'bad' government. Not sure I agree. What we have is very, very powerful lobbys. I have worked in health care for 25 years and while I can shake a finger at the FDA and USDA I really believe lobbys are the issue. And for all the fuss about bloated government, there are a huge number of vacancies at the FDA right now (for anyone job hunting). From an industry point of view (I work in industry) I wish the FDA would do more review, not less.

I appreciate the example of UL, very good point. I wish we could trust the bond rating agencies as much as UL. In general I think we have a habit of worshiping 'the free market' like it was some kind of religion. Don't forget, poorly regulated investment bankers and monopoly/oligopoly auto industry got us into our current mess. Free enterprise is great!! Unregulated Capitalism has its dangers we must be mindful of. If it is too big to fail, it is too big and our society needs some mechanism to guide and control corporations...and the 'free market' will not do this, or at least it hasn't very well lately.

Thanks again for your thoughts,

David

[Joe Tittiger]

Also, it is widely assumed we have 'bad' government. Not sure I agree. What we have is very, very powerful lobbys. I have worked in health care for 25 years and while I can shake a finger at the FDA and USDA I really believe lobbys are the issue.

I disagree whole heartily. A lobby has no power over my life. i.e. They can not cause me to do, or not to do anything. They can not fine me they can not lock me in cage. It is only government that can do so. The underlying problem is that money will always chase power. My solution and the solution of the founders (which is being illegally ignored by the very existence of the alphabet soup agencies) is to give government absolute minimal power over our lives. Of course we have bad government, the citizens have let it run amuck for over a 100 years. This unfortunately has happened with every society since the beginning of time. Governments always become more and more corrupt with time. We only have ourselves to blame by not reigning in our government when they do illegal and tyrannical things or violate our God given rights. Instead we live in an upside world where many believe our rights come from government.



I appreciate the example of UL, very good point. I wish we could trust the bond rating agencies as much as UL. In general I think we have a habit of worshiping 'the free market' like it was some kind of religion. Don't forget, poorly regulated investment bankers and monopoly/oligopoly auto industry got us into our current mess.

The problem here is that we do not have free market. i.e a regulated (by government) market is by definition not a free market. So calling what we have a free market is a misnomer.

You are right on about "poorly regulated" as I said before: Money chases power. Money owns and influences all parts of government and that is very unlikely to change with our present situation of government having monopolies and too much power, and also their being no accountability as in sovereign immunity. (Not being able to sue them or send them to jail as you would a privatized solution.)

In a free market if a UL laboratory does a poor job the consumer does not use them and they go broke. In the government world when a government school does a poor job they get more money. In the free market a security company that does not protect your property gets fired. The government provided police if they do a poor job ask for and get more money. There just is no accountability when government provides a service.

We need to get back to the basics of government existing ONLY to protect our God given rights. And even then whenever possible outsourcing these functions out to the free market. If you want to great example of a very minimal society that worked for over 300 years look into the "Icelandic Free state"


Free enterprise is great!! Unregulated Capitalism has its dangers we must be mindful of. If it is too big to fail, it is too big and our society needs some mechanism to guide and control corporations...and the 'free market' will not do this, or at least it hasn't very well lately.

Many people confuse the term Capitalism with criminal behavior. They are two different things. You will have criminal behavior no matter what your economic system be it Fascism, Socialism, Communism, or Capitalism.

The mechanism to control corporations are the same used to control people and they are basically: Thou shalt not steal, thou shalt not kill.... etc.

Lastly IMHO there is no such thing as something too big to fail.

Best to you... Joe

-- "Government is a disease masquerading as it's own cure"

[Joe Tittiger]

There was an good internet radio show on this bill:

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/marti-oakley/2010/08/30/s510-fake-food...

[Joe Tittiger]

I had heard that those genetically altered salmon had already been released into the Pacific. :=(
Also that in about 40 generations that all natural salmon would become extinct because of them.

If true or not these people are playing with fire or worse. It looks to me like a deliberate attempt to destroy the food supply for human kind.

Also am sure you are familiar with the long term effects of eating GMO.

IMHO We should be rioting in the streets over GMO.

Monica Fintel said:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/38926212/ns/health-food_safety
have you seen this???

[Ted M.]

The problem with GMOs is that the problem is long-term. It is very difficult to pin-point what caused it. Maybe it was the GMO, maybe it was your Aspirin tendencies due to your constant headaches, maybe maybe maybe...
In my incounters in GM debates, people don't want radicals like SeedsofDeception, PETA or Greenpeace to say it - it would be much better if the scientists said they were unsafe. Unfortunately, that might hurt profits, so Monsanto insures that little to no correct info leaks out.
BOT,
If the lobbyists influence gov't, and gov't allows it, then perhaps they are both to blame. The gov't system is corrupted right now, in complete favor for big industry. So... Who wants to vote for me for President? Heh, no, I'd have to learn how to blow money on campaign ads, and how to lie cheat and steal. That would be difficult.

[Joe Tittiger]

Ted Murphy said:

The problem with GMOs is that the problem is long-term. It is very difficult to pin-point what caused it. Maybe it was the GMO, maybe it was your Aspirin tendencies due to your constant headaches, maybe maybe maybe...
In my incounters in GM debates, people don't want radicals like SeedsofDeception, PETA or Greenpeace to say it - it would be much better if the scientists said they were unsafe. Unfortunately, that might hurt profits, so Monsanto insures that little to no correct info leaks out.
BOT,
If the lobbyists influence gov't, and gov't allows it, then perhaps they are both to blame. The gov't system is corrupted right now, in complete favor for big industry. So... Who wants to vote for me for President? Heh, no, I'd have to learn how to blow money on campaign ads, and how to lie cheat and steal. That would be difficult.

I think it is being said out there. The problem is that the brain dead couch potatoes will not believe anything until the controlled evening news tells them that something is so.

Have the conventional news reported that EPA's own scientists have warned EPA about fluoride and want it removed from all water?

http://www.holisticmed.com/fluoride/epa.html

http://www.fluoridealert.org/testimony.htm

What more could anyone ask for? A YouTuube video from GOD?
Either you live in the Matrix I am becoming to believe or you have taken the red pill.

[Ted M.]

http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_...

Here we go, screw the blog posts and just read it. Past pages 1-120, apparently they didn't like that area.