I hadn't planned on posting tonight. Nothing new in the garden, other than the snow that I still need to brush off the hoop covers. You see, today we got out at 3 due to inclimate weather anticipated to snarl the commute home. Sure enough, I waited a half hour in 25 degree weather waiting for a bus that never came. Others around me had been waiting for over an hour. Insane! Finally I called my wife, who was running errands anyway, to come get me. So I spent the next hour and a half sipping a Starbuck's coffee waiting for her.
As I was waiting, I was checking Garden Girl's forum, and ran across a post by my old SFG buddy, Flatlander. It seems that after decades of Reagan and Bush appointees with direct ties to Monsanto, President-Elect Obama has nominated former Governor Vilsack as his Secretary of Agriculture. It seems that Governor Vilsack has direct ties to Monsanto also! That doesn't surprise me as he was the governor of Iowa. But really, Monsanto's monopoly and damaging ways of GMO and Terminator seeds has to be stopped, not continued by the incoming administration.
So not only did I sign the Organic Consumer Association's petition against the nomination, but I went to www.change.gov and sent the transition team my own email expressing my disappointment. As I was about to click send, I thought I would copy it and let you read it.
"I am surprised and disappointed that President Elect Obama chose someone connected with Monsanto to be his Secretary of Agriculture.
Contrary to what the Reagan and both Bush administrations have said, the American public does not want to eat GMO food. And owning life is not acceptable, even if it is plants. Finally, one comany should not own 40% of the food grown in the United States, that is what is called a monopoly.
I understand money talks, and Monsanto has a great deal of it. But I would think that the fact that countless Republican and conservative leaders are directly linked to Monsanto would make our President Elect stay as far away from that company as possible.
Unfortunately if former Governor Vilsack's name is not removed from consideration, I will have to request that the two Democratic senators from Washington State vote against his nomination.
Thank you for your time."
In case you aren't familiar with Monsanto, check out the video series on YouTube entitled The World According to Monsanto. It is very enlightening and sickening.
Well on a brighter note, today I start two weeks vacation. Too bad I couldn't have made use of the time in the summer, but it will be fun nonetheless. Hey, I will get to see my garden in the daylight, even if it is under tons of snow and frozen solid (the garden is 21 degrees right now).
Enjoy your garden!
Well, I for one have no problem with eating GMO foods. But there's a heck of alot more issues than that. "Republicans and conservatives"? Whatever... maybe this will open some people's eyes up enough to see past that.
ReplyDeleteI did see that youtube video you mentioned, it's terribly one-sided. You might just as well base you opinions on a Monsanto propoganda video. I'd like to know more about what's really up with Monstanto and GMO, but there's so much hysteria about it, I'm finding it hard to separate the wheat from the chaffe, so to speak. I'm in general against Monsanto tactics and GMO, but the more I look, the more I'm finding out that neither side of this debate are very much concerned with the truth. At least not the whole of it.
Thanks for posting this info on your blog. I am very against another Monsanto "croney" being put in charge in our government again. There are conflicts of interest in this appointment in my opinion. It's like having the fox guard the hen house. I will definitely voice my concerns as well and will be contacting my senators and asking them to vote against this appointment. The revolving door policy between the government and Monsanto needs to stop.
ReplyDeleteI vote with my check book regarding Monsanto and other agri business companies. While not thrilled with the connection of this appointment - I am also not convinced that this will overrule all judgement and due diligence and do not intend to react to the appointment until the individual proves that they are not responsible and effective in their appointed role.
ReplyDeleteSorry I brought politics into this blog. I didn't want to do that. Though I am passionate about politics, I believe anyone should be allowed to believe what they want. Hope you forgive me.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your garden!