Kimble
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Fri Jul-25-03 05:08 PM
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Slightly different – more political take – on GM foods. THE REAL RUB. |
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Edited on Fri Jul-25-03 05:15 PM by Kimble
When you buy GM foods you are basically buying into a crop that greatly reduces the amount of needed farmers. In Europe, the farmers - a little like here - are supported by the Government. When the amount of farmers and acres of crops needed to feed a nation are reduced; the amount of subsides needed for price supports increase.
In Europe, these supports are built in a higher level than the US, hence when farmers are not needed they become part of a larger welfare state that the Gov does not want to support. If a business like Fiat wants to lay people off, the Gov doesn’t like it because the view of the Gov reads something like "That’s just placing their needs on the state when they cant find a job." That’s the overriding point of workers rights and the right to work. You know how this works, less jobs - less taxes - more need of assistance etc...
Anyway, GM foods in the END GAME are just like robots taking over factory jobs etc. They shift the needs of lower jobs to technology leaving higher profits for companies and less work for people.
If I don’t have an ethical beef with human genetics’ programs I cant really have one with a fruit and vegetable genetic programs. The pesticides that people are talking about "in" the food are natural ones that are in other harmless plants - not chemicals. Just because i cant digest, or for that mater chew some bark of a tree, doesn’t mean that I cant accept the bennies of its natural insecticides. The foods are safer than ciggaretts, beer, artificial sugar, lack of exercise, or most fast foods from what little i understand. The political beef is actualy the real rub. Its just a hell of an thing to debate really. The first line that has been drawn is at safty. Once that goes its going to be back to Dems vs Repub theory. And there is no reason to start there if you can win the battle on safty. One day, the safety reaons will be gone. Maybe in 10 years or 20 or a 100. Tech has/will continue to make people live longer with a higher quality of life.
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Maple
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Fri Jul-25-03 05:18 PM
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bicentennial_baby
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Fri Jul-25-03 05:19 PM
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Maple
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Fri Jul-25-03 05:25 PM
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6. We have far too many farmers |
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Way above what is actually needed.
The govt is even paying people NOT to farm.
And there are huge numbers of farmers in Europe...which is why there is so much subsidization.
At one time 98% of the population were farmers.
It's a much lower percentage now, but still too high.
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veganwitch
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Fri Jul-25-03 05:22 PM
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people who like to say "nay" just to hear the sound of their own voice.
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Kimble
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Fri Jul-25-03 05:26 PM
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8. Thats actualy another debate... |
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Slightly different – more political take – on GM foods. THE REAL RUB. The issue is how can many other nations transform much of their agricultural industry into something else with little cost, can they, or will they. It costs money to train people for something else and support them during that transformation. It is not an easy thing to do. In this nation the shift is perpetual, many people go through times of suffering during those transformations. I.E. Me… I quit a job, and lived poor for three years when I went back to school after I lost my job at Gateway. Three years in school (27-30) isn’t easy. That’s why 20% of Americans attend some college. One in five might not sound like a lot, but it is. It is a LOT.
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veganwitch
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Fri Jul-25-03 05:19 PM
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2. when you buy GM foods... |
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you arent even supporting farmers. you are supporting monsanto which is a big repug/bush supporter. farmers have to pay "royalties" top use their "brand-name" seeds.
does anyone remember the story of the farmer that was sued by monsanto for saving seeds from one year to plant in another? this was just a few months ago.
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Lars39
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Fri Jul-25-03 05:21 PM
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4. Farmer in west TN, just last month. eom |
Maple
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Fri Jul-25-03 05:26 PM
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7. Please stop confusing one company |
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with GM foods.
That's like blaming Toyota for every car on the planet.
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CafeToad
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Fri Jul-25-03 06:09 PM
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13. Furthermore, those cars are damn dangerous, |
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We must start a campaign to ban them immediately!
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Kimble
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Fri Jul-25-03 05:34 PM
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9. You wraped that up nicely. :) |
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I just explained it more. :)
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Maple
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Fri Jul-25-03 05:39 PM
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10. As long as you keep confusing |
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agriculture and ideology, you won't get anywhere.
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G_j
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Fri Jul-25-03 05:50 PM
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a little science would be helpfull.
would you like to know if your veggie has been crossed with a fish?
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Kimble
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Fri Jul-25-03 05:58 PM
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12. Its all econ 101, well, more like econ 260 or 320, but hey,isnt eveything? |
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