I do not do a lot of political posts even though I feel food is a very very political thing and I am fairly politically active (I write/email my reps and I vote).
So I was incredibly disappointed and even disillusioned by Barak Obama's pick of Tom Vilsick for Secy of the USDA. I know I did my best to suggest far better people to head the USDA and be leaders of real change, people such as Jim Hightower. I was encouraged several weeks ago to learn that Vilsack had been deleted from the short list (or so the Obama people told the Organic Consumers Association and the organic food and farming community. Was that his first big lie to us foodies?) The Obama people said they were intersted in appointing someone who would change the USDA and make it much more firendly to eaters and farmers and not so friendly with Big farma, corporations and biotech farming.
Well Obama, you have nominated a man who is in lock step with everything that has made our national food and farming system so unsustainable and dangerous. You have shown me that, at least as far as the very very important sector of food, (far more important to our collective well being than energy-that we can live without but we cannot go more than a few days without food before nasty riots break out and no more than a few weeks before the riots die down becuase of all the starvation that is killing off anyone who was not killed in the food riots) you will be doing business as usual which is not good for the eaters and farmers of this great nation. But this will be wonderful for Monsanto, Cargill, ADM etc..
I voted for change and so far have seen very little indication there will be any. I had faith that Obama would at least listen to his constituants but I don't think he is listening to we the people and the websites that allow us to put in our thoughts and opinions are simply ruses. Something to keep us busy and thinking we are making a difference. I hope I am wrong and this is an anomaly but it is not looking good from where I stand.
I should have voted for Nader. This appoujntment soo pisses me off
2 comments:
I agree. Vilsack was a bad choice. Might was well call him Secretary of Agribusiness or Secretary of Monoculture instead of Secretary of Agriculture. His role in BIGMAP and as Monsanto's beard make him a bad choice, not just the wrong choice.
Rick Tannenbaum
http://www.foodrecalls.blogspot.com
I'm another one who is sorely disappointed. More subsidies for corn, wheat & soybeans. Just what we need. I was hoping to finally see some steps away from giant agribusiness. I'm from California; we produce a lot of fruits & vegetables in a variety of ways -- organic, non-organic, small farms, gigantic farms, farmers markets, CSA's, etc. Right now our state government is waging a war against trans fat. But no one is doing anything about high fructose corn syrup. Farm policies have directly contributed to our so-called health crisis, but the government is simply unwilling to take on agribusiness. It's all so very frustrating.
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