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  by abelruss |

  Jan 16, 2008(8 months ago) |

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  Michael Pollan's take on it...
  
  http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_4908.cfm

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  by skrap |

  Jan 17, 2008(8 months ago) |

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  I think he's got it right: because of our subsidy system, the cheapest calories in the grocery store continue to be the least healthy. As long as we continue with that policy, we'll be an obese, malnourished nation.

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  by piercekiltoff |

  Jan 31, 2008(8 months ago) |

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  I do like the rural water supply improvement grants, I wish they'd provide something along those lines separately.

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  by geos |

  Feb 07, 2008(8 months ago) |

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  here is the 'money' quote from the Pollan article:
  
  "The flow of immigrants north from Mexico since Nafta is inextricably linked to the flow of American corn in the opposite direction, a flood of subsidized grain that the Mexican government estimates has thrown two million Mexican farmers and other agricultural workers off the land since the mid-90s."
  
  the "immigration" debate is just an extension of the "globalization" debate and agricultural products are first and foremost a globally traded commodity.

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  by Anonymous |

  Feb 07, 2008(8 months ago) |

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  Along the same line as Pollan's point quoted above by geos, here are a couple other articles from the past year that discuss the interrelationship of immigration and agricultural subsidies:
  
  "Mexican Immigration and Corn" - Sally Kohn
  
  http://www.organicconsumers.org/articles/article_5301.cfm
  
  "Somebody Has the Upper Hand, But It Isn't the American Farmer" - Nancy Scola
  
  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nancy-scola/somebody-has-the-upper-ha_b_69737.html

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  by Anonymous |

  Mar 17, 2008(6 months ago) |

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  Dear Mr President George Bush,
  
  Del Madeleine Bordallo
  
  I am honored to inform you that my invention a humane non leathal animal sport (CD available email roostertronic @yahoo.com , ref. yahoo. video.COM COCKFIGHTING ALTERNATIVE ) is conceived with an objective of reviving the displaced economic benefits , restoring local and international trade, and self employment in the rural areas. Del Madeleine Bordallo a member of US congress email is attached herewith considering the concept during deliberation of HR 2419 Farm Nutrition and Bioenergy Act,
  
  
  
  Briefly to combat recession, we prepared herewith a self sustaining small business rural farmers economic revival package stimulus. Self sustaining because compared to other economic stimulus , this project has economic return of investment within 2008 since gamefowl breeding is productive in a year time to produce eggs and stags,
  
  The recipients are Hispanic, African American , Caucasian and Asian breeders who were experienced economic mover of this once thriving billion dollar gamefowl breeding industry.
  
  
  Refer to below article for study and justification.
  
  Brief Economic Package Stimulus proposed on HR 2419
  
  
  
  a)This proposal support HSUS and does not degrade the existing laws on cockfighting,
  
  b) The humane invention known as Rooster Electronic Boxing utilize a non lethal scoring glove inplace of the knife. It is considered humane non cruel and . exempted from all cockfighting laws and prohibition on interstate and foreign transport of gamefowl , depiction of animal cruelty and online rooster fight venture.The intent of the humane glove is not to injure,. maim ,mutilate, wound or kill the gamebird.
  
  
  c) Breeders, associated gamefowl busineses shall be registered at USDA which will determine compensation or economic stimuli to combat recession. In conjunction with the inventor and his team, USDA shall provide rules and regulation on modern healthful breeding and humane venture fighting pattern after the HBO WBC boxing with referees, judge, and veterinarians. Since rooster do not die anymore , win loss shall be recorded to gain ranking for a regional and World Rooster Boxing championship/
  
  d) Inventor propose a philanthropic and disaster betting format of boxing and bingo meaning that a greater percentage of the gross income in the world Championship shall be allocated to charity , aids and poverty in Africa, anti corruption funds and agri global value chain , ex. There are 35million African American. It is anticipated that they will support a philanthropic bet when greater gross income is allocated to aids and poverty in Africa . The betting format will be used to also raise fund whenever there are disaster .
  
  
  
  d) Organized online humane venture fight shall allocate one (1)% of its earnings to USDA for an efficient global trade and management policies of the gamefowl industry. Operation of humane cockfight shall qualify for fantasy sport where playing injuries are
  
  statistical recordl
  
  Study and justification
  
  Study of the ban on cockfighting reveal inequities. The bad and good influences related to the ancestral sport appear lumped together tilting the scale of justice against the welfare of the rural economies and taxpayers thus contributing to the creeping recession,..
  
  • The bad on cockfighting are as expoused by the Humane Society of US. Cockfighting is inhumane, cruel, violent, barbaric, a drug induced blood sport.
  
  • In the sure to pass Farm Bill wherein, millions of dollars were dolled out to wealthy farm owners; , A provision was inserted making it illegal for small farmers to transport gamefowl in interstate and foreign commerce.. The laws passed are encompassing and effectively curtailed the good in cockfighting which are: self employment and free trade of small farmer breeder, to raise, sell, transport their products without just compensation.. Related businesses suffer i.e, feed stores, veterinary medicine, fly pens , farm construction, land and air transportation in commercial trade, decades of genetics development gone to waste. This prohibition of free trade recalls to mind the winning complaint of Antiqua vs the US at the World Trade Organization for unfair trade.
  
  • The resultant effect resembled the alcohol prohibition. Aside for the million Dollars appropriated by law for police surveilance. More substantial taxpayers money are being expended on unabated illegal cockfight for agri-health task forces, prosecutor, judges, incarceration expenses in the penitentiary for the criminal jailbirds plus euthanization veterinary costs.and others. .Its even criminal to watch cockfighting. 5,000 gamebirds and hundred of cockfighters were reported caught in a single raid. The birds were euthanized valued at a million dollars in the global market at $200 each. A breeder remarked. "The ban is inhumane to humans."
  
  
  
  Solution to inhumane problem is the application of a humane cockfighting invention. Why?.
  
  
  
  Humane cockfighting is a win win situation for all parties
  
  
  
  Win for animal lovers /donors :– invention is humane, non cruel.
  
  Win for cockfighters.-as it preserve the ancient sport.
  
  Win for breeders- as it revive breeding and gamefowl genetics. free trade, .
  
  Win for transport, shipping and air cargoes..as it increases revenues
  
  Win for government revenues in fees and taxes,
  
  Win for global trade and foreign relation between countries
  
  Win for the gamecocks --- as it prevent extinction of the species.
  
  Win for small rural farmers, as it revive rural business, self employment , feed stores , related agri businesses.
  
  Win for veterinarians and Win for the Rural economy to avoid recession .
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  CD available onNew videos of actual humane cockfight using humane gloves: fax: 671 646-0823;
  
  Tel; 671- 646- 0822 Email roostertronic@yahoo.com Eduardo dela Pena Sr inventor
  
  a) video w/timer, score board, and two tone: entitled Even the blind know they are winning
  
  b) video on stand alone; sparrring e gloves- highest nunber of points win
  
  c0 videos introducing new thrilling rooster fight... evidencing that rooster fights in the ulimate skilled fighting in air fight, mid air, and ground boxing, wrestling , combat.
  
  
  
  This invention was originally registered at the US Trademark Office but was transferred to the Philippine Intellectual Office which published the invention in its Official Gazette. The Presidential Action Center; Office of the President of the Philippine s issued its first endorsement,
  Very truly yours,
  
  
  Eduardo de la Pena Sr
  
  Inventor
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

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  by Anonymous |

  Apr 25, 2008(5 months ago) |

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  Food for Peace is the soft power civil society lobby getting what they want before the bill goes to the President.
  
  See Kennedy, Harvard and USAID; Food for Peace
  
  The UN made 200 million on the lobby and the new five year foreign aid and agency budgets exist. The Hyde AIDs bill was tripled to 50 billion and it's the new foreign aid five year earmark control for other types of foreign aid earmarks.
  
  The soft power civil society got everything they wanted. The bill's name was even changed to reflect the food emergency, but that was soft power and civil society's point from the beginning and what Congress billed. Self fulfilling prophecies. Dems, Harvard and Kennedys wouldn't do that to us!

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  by Anonymous |

  Apr 29, 2008(5 months ago) |

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  Zoellick's Commodity Report;
  
  "Though we have seen wheat prices fall over the last few days, rice and corn prices are likely to remain high, and wheat relatively so," World Bank President Robert Zoellick told a joint news conference.
  
  http://www.reuters.com/article/homepageCrisis/idUSSP192236._CH_.2400
  
  We have to get him a phone and he can do live updates from the UN World Bank trading floor.
  
  The lobby groups didn't get what they wanted and now we have the high food prices, a 200 million dollar payment with 300 million more in 7 year debt and the UN World Bank again. This reminds me allot of voting and dems; we get what we want or it's the UN. The new commodity exchanges should be run from the World Bank?
  
  Now the bill goes to the President and it's the UN again.

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  by Anonymous |

  May 02, 2008(5 months ago) |

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  The 770 million Food for Peace keeps people who have become dependent on us for food more dependent. They are going to say they are owed this.
  
  Bush and Clinton's speeches yesterday threatened. So, why would they do this when garbage has been in charge for the last week? The people who have become dependent on the US for cash want the money and they'll kill to get it.
  
  I'm quitting. Let the dems give away trillions, I'd rather live a life.

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  by Anonymous |

  May 14, 2008(4 months ago) |

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  Food for Peace is an earmark that should be removed. This earmark looks the same as USAID funding in Afghanistan, why earmarks are an issue.
  
  There are now proposals to subsidize the governments directly, skipping the administration of the farm aid. All the MCC governments can subsidize their own crops. We don't need to subsidize. They can also arrange for the sale and delivery of their commodities to whomever needs the commodities. Emergency delivery of food aid can also be handled by the MCC governments. If those countries are too poor, arrangements can be made. If these emergency problems are long term, they need to make long term arrangements.
  
  Five year emergency budgets and Food for Peace legislation is going to fail in Congress and we'll see that aid and the agencies that relied on it fail. MCC countries that want the emergency five year aid money and the emergency Food for Peace aid money should be willing to provide that aid themselves, unless they see it as a failure.
  
  Food for Peace is emergency and standard funding for farm subsidies and this is the answer to the end of the five year emergency budgets that will fail. We have an 'agency,' Food For Peace, that exists to buy and deliver(yes, we're needed for the delivery of the goods, not just the purchase) foreign farm goods in an emergency. The emergencies are usually long term and can be solved with the countries involved. MCC and countries that don't need USAID administration can probably handle most of these problems themselves; including the farm subsidies, food purchase and delivery and donation. Food for Peace isn't needed, except for the cash and delivery.

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  by Anonymous |

  May 14, 2008(4 months ago) |

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  Agricultural Trade Development and Assistance Act of 1954
  
  Exchange of goods. The food can be various types based on price.

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  by Anonymous |

  May 20, 2008(4 months ago) |

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  Water for Peace.

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  by Anonymous |

  May 20, 2008(4 months ago) |

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  Interaction and NPCA are now lobbying over MCC money being used to pay for these 'emergency five year sustainable budgets.' PC and other agencies just use the hiring of these emergency orgs like PEPFAR and Food for Peace to extend the PC budget out five years. The five year sustainable action plans from PC make no sense when applied to five year 'sustainable emergency' budgets at other US government orgs. Maybe 30% of the 100S of billions actually goes to treatment or food. The rest is eaten by US agencies and NGOs.
  
  The orgs that have been hiring and funding US government agencies like PC have had their budgets doubled or tripled by Congress along with the orgs and bills and it's too much money not to go to where it is supposed to; too much money is used by agencies that have hooked into these orgs like PEPFAR, food and water bills.
  
  PC paid lobbyists like NPCA and Interaction should understand that US agencies like PC have hooked into too many bills and programs and it's now too much money over too much time(five year 'emergency budgets' going on to 10 years) to be taken away by other agencies like PC and have only 30% go to the actual program needy.

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  by Anonymous |

  May 24, 2008(4 months ago) |

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  WHAT IS MEMORIAL DAY?
  
  My years whirl past me. Swirling. Dry, broken grass hovering in a
  spring breeze. Can I remember my experiences in war? Hardly. Fighting
  for my country, my youth invested, seems such a long time ago, and so
  unimportant. The calendar this year marks Memorial Day on the 30th of
  May,2008. Have I lost something? The traditional Memorial Day, also known
  as Decoration Day, is on the 30th of May. This observed Memorial Day on May
  29th coincidentally allows for a national three day holiday. Such is
  commercialism's capitalistic American display. But why do I feel so
  stricken, like I have abandoned old friends from long ago? Their ghosts
  consort with my floating years, and their spirits coast around my presence.
  Another three day holiday! Memorial Day! Maybe me and the kids can go
  camping? Or, to the beach? Memorial Day is fun! This is the
  inconsiderate, thoughtless approach to this meaningful, and consecrated
  moment representing one three hundred and sixty-fifth of our year. What is
  the meaning of Memorial Day? Is it merely a three day escape from our
  worldly duties? Or, is it the official beginning of summer? Is selling
  more hot dogs at the ballpark the overriding clarification? Many souls,
  sacrificed in war, in duty to America, are wandering. They drift in a
  heavenly place, minus their future here upon earth. Tomorrows were forfeited.
  Given up so our nation would invigorate free souls, aspire them to
  freedom, and justly allow their lives lived as they prefer. Raising
  offspring above restrictions, as they desire. Those lost lives giving we,
  the living, what we want freely. Those are the souls we respect on Memorial
  Day. This means it is a sacred day. Without retrospect, sacrifice is
  mute. Old Glory does not wave by accident. It flutters in the spring air
  revealing honor. The color red represents the blood bloom from those who
  fell, those who clawed, those who cried in horrible pain. Those who died
  fast. And, those who died ever so slowly. They did their duty. When I see
  Old Glory waving on a sunny, end of May day, the pigment red gushes from
  millions of souls, floating, not with us, anymore. They are amongst our
  heroes, cajoling with angels with their champions, conquerors and
  commanders. Friends and loved ones gather, over the rave, witness to those
  who gave more than anyone should be required to relinquish. They did not
  want to yield. They were in the wrong place at the wrong time, and when the
  moment harshly struck them their fatal blow, they cried for their mother, or
  their friend. Then there
  were those, many of those, who knew exactly what they were giving. They
  moved forward knowingly. They lost their lives so their mission would be
  accomplished. Fools! Some intellects can say that. One would have to be
  an imbecile to give up life, no matter what the cause. For a flag? Futile!
  For a country! More pointless! For freedom! What freedom is there in
  mortality? Yes, fools they may have been, but their numbers add up in an
  awesome display of American loss! Veterans' Cemeteries, white badges
  sailing row after row after row upon green grass, almost never ending,
  creeping onto the horizon. Constant reminders of the devastation of our
  human treasure. Mothers' tears, enough to fill an ocean to overflow.
  Sweethearts, broken hearted, reading telegrams. Sons and daughters, many
  unborn, wakening at birth to a devastated family suffering from a victim of
  war there no more. And what does all this macabre math equal? Memorial Day
  is the correct answer. Few Americans know a person who died in war.
  Their family trees have lost some leaves, falling as they fought in one of
  America's wars, or discarded in the peacetime military. We are a busy
  people. We have business to capture. Our kids are in school. We have
  chores. Mundane, or surrealistic. We are a spirited society, seeking
  applications to improve ourselves and our communities. We are a helpful
  populace, always there when the going gets tough to help those who have
  suffered the tragedies of nature, whether a hurricane or a famine.
  Americans are always the first on the scene worldwide bearing their gifts of
  human spirit and abundance. This is why it is so puzzling that the meaning
  of Memorial Day seems to lack substance to many of our own people. Even
  with the day itself. Put back to accommodate a holiday schedule fixed by
  some organism no one knows, yet powerful enough to do so, the day itself
  lacks consequence to too many. Many who never knew a person who died in
  service to America are wrought with the invisible pain of not feeling for
  those who do. Americans take things for granted. We have so much. So
  very much. Endless choices. These options are not available worldwide. Our
  shelves are full. Unlike many in other nations of the world. So many are
  empty or offer very limited selections. Those American fighting men and
  women killed in battle whose souls are floating actually made available
  these wondrous choices we have every day of our American lives. Yet, most
  of our youngsters have no idea whatsoever what this means. They don't learn
  this in school. We must teach them. For without knowledge, they may end up
  thinking, or believing, all these marvelous selections came without
  circumstance. Minus anything. Equaling no meaning.
  Our nation needs to halt and perceive the flags and flowers on our
  Veterans graves on this consecrated holiday. We need to lift a common
  voice of adoration to those floating spirits of our onetime American
  Warriors, and extol them with a salutation. We have not come that far with
  our technological miracles of this millennium to become crass. We still
  need respect. Our backs can not turn from formality. Our eyes can not look
  away from custom. Our voices must not resonate in silence against honor and
  glory. To do so will leave us hollow, only to fill us with that which is
  desolate and lacking potential. This is not the true meaning of Memorial
  Day. The heartfelt significance requires reminding. Story telling. Wisdom
  being passed on from our Veterans to our younger generations. An
  interpretation certified by those who remember the horrors of war. Without
  this core, our society can not remain genuine. It becomes contemptible. It
  rots from within. These floating souls of our lost American Warriors are a
  powerful force, for they live within our hearts. They constantly seek
  justification for their contributions, and they are real within us. Such is
  what our American substance stands for, where character is developed,
  individually is guaranteed, and a community, a nation, survives.
  America enters the 21st Century as the most powerful entity
  humankind has ever experienced. America permeates this next century with
  vast responsibilities. Our children must bear this promise. We can not
  turn our backs on these bygone descendants, nor can we do so upon
  ourselves. Memorial Day offers us the opportunity to express a moment of
  solitude where each of us can personify in our own way what we feel. I
  only speak for my myself, as one who has bared his soul to the dread of
  war. So my father did, and his father's father before him, and their souls
  float amongst the multitudes. My mother and her mother held their Veterans
  after they returned from war, tears streaming down their cheeks in gratitude
  for their safe return. And there were those in my ancestry who did not
  return from war. And their mothers' tears soaked the pillows on beds for
  generations to sleep upon. Their souls are the dreams that drift amongst
  the floating, gathering at the end of May in the breeze of summer's coming,
  in the cool glass of lemonade at the child's street side stand, in the
  cheers at the ball game from the crowd rooting their team to victory and
  enjoying the best hot dogs in the world. Let us all stop for a moment,
  whether it is on the traditional day, or the observed Memorial Day, or even
  at the end of May, and reach for those floating souls. Let us reveal to
  them how much we cherish their sacrifice for our free people. Let these
  memories harvest our recognition of the meaning of Memorial Day in a very
  simple word. And let that word, simply stated be: THANKS!!!
  

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  by Anonymous |

  Jun 01, 2008(4 months ago) |

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  The CFTC is being investigated for all commodity prices and this is understandable as freedom loving Americans hsould not have to pay haughty and prententous price for fuel to run their country and keep wonderful and very pleasing freedom loving Americans safe. The refining of the fuels should be done by the rich foreigners who produce the oil. Stately and majestic America should keep it's refineries in National Security and not make more of this because of the august environment.
  
  Foreigners who have chosen admirable democracy and started virtuous commodity exchanges and helped by magnificent freedom loving Americans should understand that glorious Congress and brilliant and gorgeous democrats who are definition of democracy are having the CFTC lower commodity prices because there may have been ugly and uninspiring mistakes by the CFTC attempting to rob Americans and the world of their foods and fuels. Superb exchanges started by foreign countries should know the examples of freedom loving Americans and uncommon and exceptional Congress and Democrats is the customary and normal farmer who's foods the governments buy to help their splendorous peoples.
  
  Outstanding and preeminent freedom loving Americans and magnificent Congress and beautiful Democrats are helping the uncommon world with their better food and prices. Resplendent America and her remarkable people help the world with freedom loving Americans usual example of how to feed the world, which extraordinary Congress and Democrats have done since Regal President Clinton committed this.
  
  This meek and modest foreigner, although low in rank quality and station, submits this comment to learn from the magnificent freedom loving Americans, democrats and Open Congress. Accept it for what it is and just a deferential and submissive foreigner learning from dignified and noble America.

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  by Anonymous |

  Jun 01, 2008(4 months ago) |

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  Center for Global Development
  
  An outstanding organization started by a modest government employee helping the splendoruos peoples of the world food.
  
  http://www.cgdev.org/section/about/
  
  This meek and modest foreigner, although low in rank quality and station, submits this comment to learn from the magnificent freedom loving Americans, democrats and Open Congress. Accept it for what it is and just a deferential and submissive foreigner learning from dignified and noble America.
  
  

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  by Anonymous |

  Jul 25, 2008(2 months ago) |

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  Rangel is getting the DR cotton bill passed.

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