Change in Goverment?

[Gabe Ayers]

“We’ve already got Tom Vilsack as the head of the USDA, but the Vilsack USDA will also be incredibly influenced by the Deputy Secretary. And I have bad news about that that requires immediate action by all progressives.

As you know, I’ve been advocating the “Sustainable Dozen” chosen by Food Democracy Now (go there and sign their petition!) as candidates for USDA Deputy Secretary and Under Secretary positions. Several of these Sustainable Dozen, including Chuck Hassebrook were being seriously considered. And then… a few conservative Democrats (Collin “organics are dumb” Peterson, Ken Salazar, Sen. Conrad of North Dakota) spoke up against him. What??? This election was a victory for CHANGE. So why are Senators like Conrad being heeded when they advocate an anti-change agenda??

What’s worse are the names that ARE still up for consideration …….

The names now up for Deputy USDA Secretary are nasty pro-industrial ag, anti-sustainable ag people like the Big Bad Dennis Wolff of Pennsylvania. Wolff is known for unilaterally deciding that Pennsylvanians do not have a right to know whether their milk has artificial growth hormones in it or not (a policy that was thankfully overturned by the PA governor after much consumer outcry).

Furthermore, Joy Philippi, former past president of the National Pork Producers Council, co-chair the Rural Americans for Hillary is being considered for an under secretary position. The National Pork Producers Council is the lobby group for hog factory farms. That means we’d be installing the fox in the henhouse every bit as completely as Bush did during his eight years. Again, this is going against what Obama promised us, as he has promised to have an administration free of lobbyists.

Putting Dennis Wolff or others like him in as the #2 at the USDA would be an end to any hope for change in American agriculture during Obama’s time as President. And if this election was a victory for Hope and Change, then choosing Wolff as Deputy Secretary (or another person with similar ideas as him) would directly violate what the people of this great country voted for on November 4.

WHAT YOU CAN DO:

1. Post about this on your blog.
2. Sign the petition at Food Democracy Now. http://www.fooddemocracynow.org/
3. Write your Senator and Representative today. The best thing you can do right now is to send an email or a fax (as opposed to calling or sending snail mail). In Virginia you can find your Representative http://www.house.gov/ Contact Warner, Warner, Mark R. – (D – VA) Class II B40C DIRKSEN SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-2023 E-mail: warner_info@warner.senate.gov Contact Webb Webb, Jim – (D – VA) Class I 144 RUSSELL SENATE OFFICE BUILDING WASHINGTON DC 20510 (202) 224-4024 Web Form: webb.senate.gov/contact/

4 Ask them to speak to the Obama transition team about this. Ask them to support reform candidates like Chuck Hassebrook or others in the Sustainable Dozen for USDA Deputy Secretary and to oppose anti-sustainable ag candidates like Dennis Wolff.

5.Email a link to this blog post to your friends and ask them to take action as well.”

[Donn Hewes]

I as I am constantly reminding my mother, a good old Dem, given the state of our democracy today, voting had better not be the beginning and end of your participation. much more is needed unfortunately.

Jason, on the bright side, I am sitting here waiting for my new horse. A five year old Suffolk mare! Keep up the good work everyone. Donn

[Richard]

Show of hands. Anyone really suprised? I know I’m not. It will be business as usual in Washington DC.

[Anonymous]

@Richard 4962 wrote:

Show of hands. Anyone really suprised? I know I’m not. It will be business as usual in Washington DC.

Meet the new boss…same as the old boss. Anyone planning to purchase a new pair of blinders better get to the tack shop quick. I heard that the incoming Administration is quietly buying them up for issue to the Press Corps, at least for the few who don’t already have ’em. The fun is just beginning. Before you call me an old yankee curmudgeon, try this experiment…. Hope in one hand and hold the other under your horse’s tail and see which fills up first:D!

[near horse]

Wow Richard and Legio3arty.

If I had that much hope I’d be jumping off a bridge right now. After 8 years of “the worst of the worst” and “dumbest of the dumb” leadership (I use the word loosely), why do you think it will remain status quo? There are a lot of us that have our “eggs in this Obama basket” and if he caves in and follows the same old path, this nation is done. But before I’m willing to pull the flush handle on the US, Obama needs the opportunity to try and change things and we need to help set the path. If he chooses not to listen, so be it. But you need to give him something to listen to. And remember ” if you’re not with us then you’re against us”. :rolleyes:

Kudos Bio Woodsman – I signed the petition and forwarded it to a local sustainable ag group.:)

[Robert MoonShadow]

I don’t expect much from Obama – or any government official… and so far, that’s what I’ve gotten – not much. I don’t see anything different about him. I’ve heard so many people say he’ll be different, and when I ask what makes them think so, they usually say something along the lines of “He’ll change things… he’s the first black president…” So I merely point out that having preconceived expectations of someone’s actions based on their race is defined as racism. The conversation usually ends about then. As I said; he’s a politician: I expect the same from him as any other politician. I think I’ll base my hopes for the future & the recovery of the ills of this world on me – you – us – the common citizen of this little place we call Earth. I choose to learn to farm with animals. Not merely because I like animals; but because, to me, it makes economical, ecological & moral sense to do so. I don’t need to feed the world. I just want to feed my neighbors. That’s plenty enough to accomplish, in my lifetime.
Just my opinion.

[Richard]

This government took a giant leap toward total control of all business in this country. Who do you think is going to bail out this bailout mess they created?

[Carl Russell]

Robert MoonShadow;5068 wrote:

….I think I’ll base my hopes for the future & the recovery of the ills of this world on me – you – us – the common citizen of this little place we call Earth. I choose to learn to farm with animals. Not merely because I like animals; but because, to me, it makes economical, ecological & moral sense to do so. I don’t need to feed the world. I just want to feed my neighbors. That’s plenty enough to accomplish, in my lifetime.
Just my opinion.

Well said!!!

I think there’s a huge difference between “realism” and “pessimism”. Seeing the Corporate Oligarchy for what it is, is the first step to recovery. Obama is just a new player in that tired game. I’m with Robert.

The major thing I have to say about Obama is that he is the first intelligent, thoughtful, peaceful, forthright, disciplined, and purposeful individual to take the oath of office for decades. He may not be able to stop the ship from sinking, but he may respond to it in ways that truly help us in the long run. The truth of the matter is that he has had to play the game to some extent to get to where he is.

I don’t put it past him to bring more than most people are prepared to deal with. For example, the self-congratulatory pomp and circumstance of Tuesday, with the multinational corporate government controlled media celebrating the fact that although it has been a long and painful journey, we have finally allowed ourselves to let a black man be our president, is absolutely ignorant and undignified, and I think we may be in for some real education about the true ills of this cultural structure.

Or something like that. Don’t get me going.:eek:

Carl

[near horse]

The major thing I have to say about Obama is that he is the first intelligent, thoughtful, peaceful, forthright, disciplined, and purposeful individual to take the oath of office for decades. He may not be able to stop the ship from sinking, but he may respond to it in ways that truly help us in the long run. The truth of the matter is that he has had to play the game to some extent to get to where he is.

Based on what you said about the man, why would you not have some hope?

I don’t need to feed the world. I just want to feed my neighbors. That’s plenty enough to accomplish, in my lifetime.

And how do you define where your neighbors begin and end? Within 5 miles of your place? 100 miles? That is feeding the world – each one of us doing a little bit.

It will take the collective “us” and “we” to get something changed. It’s hard if not impossible to be part of a society if you just want to be “left alone to do your thing”.

Lack of govt. oversight is what got the country into this mess and now we’re going to worry that Obama might step up and regulate something?

don’t put it past him to bring more than most people are prepared to deal with. For example, the self-congratulatory pomp and circumstance of Tuesday, with the multinational corporate government controlled media celebrating the fact that although it has been a long and painful journey, we have finally allowed ourselves to let a black man be our president, is absolutely ignorant and undignified, and I think we may be in for some real education about the true ills of this cultural structure

Carl – what are you trying to say? He will change things or he’ll be “same crap, different day”? Pomp and circumstance IS the hallmark of American govt. From 21 gun salutes, to the star spangled banner at every sporting event down thru grade school knowledge bowl tournaments. Nothing new.

[Robert MoonShadow]

Geoff – I don’t want society to leave me alone… I want the government to leave me alone – in the sense that I want to be able to farm, live, and just be, without undue interference. As for defining my community & neighbors = that’s my point, exactly – changing this world is done by the small efforts of the individual, working in step with other individuals who see a common goal. My neighbors are those that live near me. My community is those that I interact with on a regular basis. DAP, in that sense, is my community. By my way of living, and working, and farming, I am an example of a different way of doing & thinking. If I take good care of my work animals & grow quality food & my farm prospers, I set one example. If I abuse my work animal & neglect to share part of my harvest with those neighbors in need & my farm fails, I set a different example. I can influence others best by my actions. There’s no regulations, no government involvement, no cohersion by me on my neighbors to do things my way. I can no longer call myself organic, as I choose not to jump through the regulatory hoops. Now, they are trying to regulate the definition of the label “Natural”. That restricts how I am able to market & advertise my produce. I grow good food. Period. I am learning to use draft animals to do that. I don’t see how Obama will change that. I cannot influence or change anything that’s happening in DC or other countries – or even on the other side of the Mississippi. But I CAN influence my neighbors by my actions & thoughts & words. And that’s more than enough, for me. Hey! If Obama or Hillary or any other politician can make my work & my life any easier or of better quality – more power to them. Meanwhile, I’ve got goat manure to shovel. If they REALLY want to help me… here’s a pitchfork -> keep the pointy side facing away from you. 😮

[Richard]

Thank you Robert. You hit the nail square on the head.

[near horse]

Robert.First off, here’s a tip. To make your life easier, try using something other than a pitchfork to move goat poop.:)

If you have a different political bend, so be it. But there’s no denying that the last administration left us in one big mess. Primarily from being asleep at the wheel.

without undue interference

When is interference due and when is it undue? What exactly is the govt, particularly Obama (in his 1st 24 hrs inoffice) and Hillary (who isn’t even in office at present), doing to interfere in your farming operation? Did they drive fertilizer prices up 200% in 2 years? And fuel prices? H-ll no. I agree that there are some ag proposals that I absolutely oppose – like NAIS. But that doesn’t mean everything the govt does is bad.

I can no longer call myself organic, as I choose not to jump through the regulatory hoops. Now, they are trying to regulate the definition of the label “Natural”. That restricts how I am able to market & advertise my produce. I grow good food

Why are you so opposed to having some type of definition for what constitutes “natural” or “organic”? That way your clientele can decide if they want to spend money on your product or someone elses – honest straight forward free market. One reason that there has to be some kind of rule is that there are those (and I’m not saying that you are one of these) that will take advantage of the market (natural or organic or BST free) without actually doing what they claim. The GMO crop folks would love to call themselves natural – but you’d really be stretching it to call pulling genes from one plant and inserting them into another as natural. Lack of regulation and folks being less than truthful has been what’s gotten us into this debacle. So don’t blame more regulation, just work at directing it.
Are you aware of how hard Monsanto worked to keep dairy producers from being able to market their milk as “BST free” or “Growth hormone free”? Their argument was that BST or growth hormone occurs naturally in animals so giving them a shot of something that occurs naturally can’t be monitored or regulated. Why not let the consumer decide? Straight up.

Overall – man, you guys are really starting to worry me. You’re not starting to see the UN “black helicopters” are you?:D

Rather than continuing to post, 🙁 I just need to go out and work in the shop because this is really starting to bother me.

All the best.:)

[Robert MoonShadow]

Geoff ~ My main objection to the government interfering w/ my farming – or my life in general – is simple: You can’t legislate morality, nor can government cure the ills that itself, in conjunction with multi-national corporations, created. I don’t think the fox will clean up the henhouse on it’s way out the door. What is “due” and “undue” regulation? You gave good examples of each: Regulating Monsanto’s attempts to poison us with rBST = due reguation. NAIS = undue regulation. My customers don’t need the govt. to define what is healthy or natural in regards to my food… they can just come out and see my operation & decide for themselves. It’s why I market locally, direct to the consumer – I relish the relationship – I promote my farm with “Know your farmer – know your food” and “you have a family doctor, a family dentist – why not a family farmer? I want to be your farmer”. Not pretty slogans; the way I personally believe is a sound, sustainable way of farming – which is why I post it on DAP; a forum that promotes the same concept of sustainability & accountability. I disagree that this last administration was “asleep at the wheel” I believe it knew EXACTLY what it was doing, and just didn’t give a damn about us. Also, I never said that Obama or Hilary have actually done anything against me… yet. I spoke of the government as a whole. But then, they haven’t actually done anything FOR me, either. My main point is EXACTLY that: “They” can’t solve any of my problems, nor the larger problems facing us all as a whole. “They” created the problems, and we allowed it to happen. But WE can solve them. I don’t need the government to take care of me, nor solve my society’s problems. 10,000 Geoffs plus 10,000 Carls plus 10,000 Roberts plus 10,000 Jennifers can do a lot of problem solving, don’t you think? We’ve left the hard choices & painful problem-solving in the hands of people & mega-businesses & politicians that don’t have our best interests as a priority for too long… we need to just do it ourselves. That’s all -that basic idea. By the way, Geoff; I enjoy our discussions & the fact that we disagree on some points – it makes me think, and not just depend on preconceived ideas. I admire that you are able to express your differing views with logic & deep thought on an emotionally-charged subject, while respecting me enough to allow me to voice my own. I thank you for that.

[Carl Russell]

near horse;5110 wrote:

Based on what you said about the man, why would you not have some hope?

I have a lot of hope. I am always hopeful. Realistic about the collapse of modern culture. Realistic about the corporate control of government. Always hopeful, because I know that these dinosaurs will die too.

And how do you define where your neighbors begin and end? Within 5 miles of your place? 100 miles? That is feeding the world – each one of us doing a little bit.
My neighbors are within walking distance.
It will take the collective “us” and “we” to get something changed. It’s hard if not impossible to be part of a society if you just want to be “left alone to do your thing”.

Lack of govt. oversight is what got the country into this mess and now we’re going to worry that Obama might step up and regulate something?

Carl – what are you trying to say? He will change things or he’ll be “same crap, different day”? I have a lot of respect for the man. He is one of the most admirable people who has come out of our government in decades, but I don’t have a lot of respect for the position. I don’t think he will be able to change a lot of how our government affects its people, but he may affect how the people feel about their leader.

Pomp and circumstance IS the hallmark of American govt. From 21 gun salutes, to the star spangled banner at every sporting event down thru grade school knowledge bowl tournaments. Nothing new.

What I was referring to is that the American establishment showed how little real appreciation they have for race, by trumpeting this milestone event, as if the fact that he is black, says something about us. There are some people who because of race, or family history, may truly celebrate the fact that a black man has been elected, but for the rest of us, we should be aware enough to realize that his value goes way beyond that. By reducing at least some of his importance to skin color, we just show how much we still have to learn, and with him as president, we won’t be able to sweep it under the rug any more.

Carl

[OldKat]

Well, this thread was certainly worth reading!

I generally stay away from political discussions in any forum, because the “my mind is made up, don’t try to confuse me with facts” mindset of much of our public drives me up the wall. I just love how people take selective events, issues or even positions on issues and “paint” the other side with disparaging labels; of course it outrages them when someone has the audacity to point out that their side of the aisle has “issues” as well!

The fact is that while both major parties have their warts and both have their good points, the overall reality is they are more alike than they are different. Take immigration for example. We all know that laws exist to prevent people from entering this or ANY other country in the world illegally. We all know there are laws against hiring illegal aliens, yet it has gone on unchecked for the past 20 or 30 years. Why? Because it served the interests of BOTH parties. The Republicans wanted to see cheap labor for industry. The Democrats wanted to turn them into potential new voters. So the reality is BOTH parties were willing to turn their backs on enforcing the laws as they exist. Why? Again, because IT SERVED THEIR RESPECTIVE INTERESTS.

Interestingly enough the current downturn, depression or whatever you want to label it has done more to send illegals back home than anything either party has EVER done. No jobs = no $$$, no $$$ = no reason to be here. People do what you give them an economic incentive to do. Give them a reason to break laws to work here and they will. Give them a reason to steal and they will, give them a reason to mooch off the public and they will. (I’m talking about ALL people here, not immigrants only) Give them a reason to be productive and guess what? They will do that, too.

Will Barrack Obama be a good President? I don’t have a clue, and in fact no one else does either. There are just too many unknowns. I know this much regardless of how much anyone tries to run him down or how much anyone else tries to gloss over his failures (yes, he is bound to have at least some) his record will speak for itself. Let’s get back together in 3 or 4 years and discuss this again, and I’ll bet some peoples views (if they are honest) will have changed. If we were to check in again in another 15 or 20 years after that we would probably get a truer picture of who he was and what he did or didn’t do that made a difference.

He will probaly NOT turn out to be as bad as Rush Limbaugh and others have tried to paint him and he will probably NOT turn out as great as MSNBC, CNN and the Hollywood elites have tried to paint him. He will probably fall somewhere in the middle, which is probably to be expected.

Either way, if any of you are putting all your hopes in ANY human … you are probably setting yourself up for a major disappointment. Problem is we are all just too human.

As for me, I still maintain that I like most cows and every horse I ever met better than most people I ever met. Therefore, I probably have disqualified myself from having an opinion about this subject.

[Author]

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