Monsanto are still at it - of course

This just in from SierraRise:

`Senator Blanche Lincoln used to serve as Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. She was sometimes called "the Senator from Wal-Mart," ^[7] and her other clients have included oil giants Valero and ConocoPhillips, everybody's favorite cable provider Comcast, and credit giant Experian. She's clearly an influential figure in Washington, and now she's ready to cash in for "the world's most evil corporation."'

Yes, she's sold her pathetic, shrivelled soul to Monsanto.

Read on - "It's easy to see why Monsanto was voted the world's most evil corporation for 2013. ^[1] Two examples from just the last 30 days might almost be enough to win the title all on their own.

Last week, 20 environmental activists were brutally assaulted for protesting the biotech giant in Argentina. ^[2] And in the November 5 election, Monsanto broke spending records to defeat a Washington ballot initiative that would simply label genetically engineered food (GMOs). ^{[3, 4]} What are they hiding?

But we've been shining a light on Monsanto's shady activities. Thanks to SierraRise supporters like you, it's not just the Big Ag corporation's products that are potentially toxic, but also their reputation.

Rather than fix these disastrous practices, Monsanto is trying to buy a better image. ^[5]

They recently hired former Senator Blanche Lincoln ^[6] and the high-powered PR firm FleishmanHillard to improve their reputation and help block more labeling initiatives in 2014. Now when you want to know what's in your food, the forces against us will be stronger than before.

This means we need to fight back against the Monsanto agenda harder than ever. Let's start by sending 75,000 letters reminding our government to listen to we the people, not them the corporations and PR firms, and label GMOs now!

Monsanto -- the maker of toxic chemicals like Agent Orange -- is also the largest producer of risky genetically modified seeds. Corn with built-in insecticides? Squash impervious to virus? We have a right to know what we're eating. Many other countries around the world do require GMO labeling -- but Monsanto is bringing in the big guns to make sure they can keep hiding that critical information from our families.

Senator Blanche Lincoln used to serve as Chair of the Senate Agriculture Committee. She was sometimes called "the Senator from Wal-Mart," ^[7] and her other clients have included oil giants Valero and ConocoPhillips, everybody's favorite cable provider Comcast, and credit giant Experian. She's clearly an influential figure in Washington, and now she's ready to cash in for "the world's most evil corporation."

Corporations always do this -- why fix a problem if you can pay someone to hide it? That's why so many of us decided to join the SierraRise community. We're sick of corporate lobbyists running the show -- this is a democracy and all of our voices matter. By speaking up now, we can be louder than Senator Lincoln or any other Monsanto lobbyist or executive.

The FDA has the power to enforce labeling and protect our health -- but not if we let Monsanto's lobbyists go unanswered.

We deserve to know what's in our food. Send your letter to the FDA today demanding customer choice -- we need labels on GMO foods!

In it together,

Nathan Empsall
SierraRise Senior Campaigner

P.S. Five signatures are even more powerful than one -- after you take action, be sure to forward this alert to your friends, family, and colleagues!"

Fighting Monsanto's Frankenfoods in Washington State

Just put a label on food products to tell us what we're eating.

Seems like a simple enough request, doesn't it? After all, most food items bear exhaustive labelling, telling us to the microgram almost, how much cholesterol, carbs, etc, etc, we're consuming.

But Monsanto and their grubby allies in the food business (and Congress) are desperate to prevent voters in Washington State from passing a simple Measure to get that information to shoppers - desperate to the tune of record numbers of Millions of dollars.

According to Food Democracy Now!, "... the Grocery Manufacturers Association is continuing to pile on millions in illegal contributions to defeat GMO labeling. Already, the opposition has smashed the record for the most amount of money raised by a ballot initiative in Washington state history with a $21 million war chest. Last week’s $3.7 million dollar contribution from the GMA and Monsanto’s additional $540,000 proves that they’re nervous about the results and that we have them on the run.

Just like last year in California, the opposition is bankrolled by out-of-state biochemical corporations and Big Food companies and they’re using $21 million dollars to blanket the airwaves with misleading and deceptive ads."

[I've blogged about GMOs before - to read the earlier posts, Please go to the Search box.]

Here's the full communique from Food Democracy Now! - 

"Monsanto and the GMA are running a dirty money campaign to Kill GMO labeling - Help us fight back!

Double your impact today - for every dollar you donate Yes on 522 will receive $2 to win the fight for GMO labeling!

Dear Richard,

All that’s standing between GMO labeling and Monsanto is YOU!

At Food Democracy Now! we wanted to thank you for your incredible willingness to stand strong against the most powerful corporations on the planet and those who are desperate to try to steal our basic democratic rights all in the name of toxic profits.

As we reported yesterday, the Grocery Manufacturers Association is continuing to pile on millions in illegal contributions to defeat GMO labeling. Already, the opposition has smashed the record for the most amount of money raised by a ballot initiative in Washington state history with a $21 million war chest. Last week’s $3.7 million dollar contribution from the GMA and Monsanto’s additional $540,000 proves that they’re nervous about the results and that we have them on the run.

Just like last year in California, the opposition is bankrolled by out-of-state biochemical corporations and Big Food companies and they’re using $21 million dollars to blanket the airwaves with misleading and deceptive ads.

Yesterday, we put out a final call to raise money for Washington and we’re only $8,349 from our goal.

Anything else you chip in can help us reach our goal by the end of the day will be spent on getting out the vote in the final hours to win GMO labeling! If we win in Washington, Monsanto knows it's day of deceiving the American public are over!
With your help, we can win this!
Please, Richard – don't miss this chance to have your gift matched by pitching in whatever you can.
Double your impact before time runs out - we need to hear from you today!
http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/1007?t=7&akid=1044.198452.h5iBqn
Chip in today to stop Monsanto and the GMA's lie machine. We need to hear from you today! Chip in $5.20, $52.20 or $522 or whatever you can to help win GMO labeling! Today your donation will be matched 2 to 1! Every dollar counts!

“This is the Largest Amount of Money Ever Concealed in an Election," claimed Washington state Attorney General Bob Ferguson. And unbelievably he’s right!

On Thursday October 24^th, the GMA wrote a check to the opposition for $2.9 million dollars.
Less than 24 hours later, the GMA wrote another check for $877,000
Incredibly, this illegal multi-million dollar donation comes barely a week after the Washington state attorney general’s lawsuit against the GMA, where he alleges that the lobbying front group conspired behind closed doors to illegally launder money for America's largest food companies to keep their brands safe from consumer backlash.
The GMA, and companies that it represents, like Monsanto, DuPont, Pepsi, Coke, Kraft, Kellogg’s and General Mills, have now illegally funneled more than $11 million dollars to kill GMO labeling on Washington.
We have 6 days to show the world that we’re not going to be silent and allow this to happen. The opposition has already raised more than $21 million compared to $6.4 million for the Yes on 522 campaign. At this point, every dollar we can raise can help turn out more voters to win GMO labeling!
Help us get the word out today!
What your contribution today will help accomplish:

• $5.20 will help us reach 10 voters in Washington to defeat Monsanto and the GMA's deceptive ads.
• $52.20 will help us reach 150 voters in Washington.
• $522 will help us reach 2,000 voters in Washington.

Double your impact before time runs out - we need to hear from you today!
http://fdn.actionkit.com/go/1044?t=10&akid=1044.198452.h5iBqn
Monsanto and America’s big food companies already label their products in 64 other countries around the world, why not the U.S.?

Together we can overcome the opposition’s dirty tricks campaign – help put us over the top by giving what you can today!

Dave, Lisa and the Food Democracy Action! Team
Sources:
1. “No on 522 breaks fundraising record for Washington initiative campaigns”, The Seattle Times, October 28, 2013
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/1062?t=12&akid=1044.198452.h5iBqn
2. “Junk Food Lobby Forced to Disclose Donors to Its Secret 'Defense of Brand Strategic Account'”, Huffington Post, October 23, 2013
http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/1060?t=14&akid=1044.198452.h5iBqn
3. “Grocers Set Cash Against Labeling: D.C.-Based Group Adds Millions More to Fight”, The Columbian, October 26, 2013

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/1061?t=16&akid=1044.198452.h5iBqn

4. “Attorney General Ferguson files suit against Grocery Manufacturers Association” October 16, 2013

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/go/1056?t=18&akid=1044.198452.h5iBqn

Food Democracy Action! is a 501(c)4 allied organization of Food Democracy Now!, focused on grassroots lobbying and legislative action.

Donations are not tax-deductible. Thank you for your support!"

Monsanto Doesn't Go Away

This email just came in from SierraRise.  Sorry, I don't have any time now to expand on it, will just reproduce it here.

The Tea Party are supposed to be conservative - why would they want to support a Corporation which wants to conduct experiments on our entire food chain, and ultimately take control of the World's Food Supply?

It's a mystery to me....  Here goes -

We did it! Environmental champions in the Senate have stripped the Monsanto Protection Act from a major funding bill, and over 65,000 grassroots voices from the SierraRise community helped make it happen.^[1]

As you may recall, this dangerous legislation would put the GMO mega-corporation above the law, blocking citizens like you or me from suing them if their food makes us sick.^[2] But this fight isn't over yet -- the funding bill is headed back to the House for an immediate vote, where Monsanto's lackeys will almost assuredly try to sneak it right back in during the fight over the government shutdown. The Tea Party isn't likely to win on defunding Obamacare so they'll probably see payback through amendments like the Monsanto Protection Act, instead.

We can win this thing but only if citizens like you keep up the pressure. Will you help get this done?

The funding bill must pass without the shady Monsanto Protection Act attached to it. Without federal funding, we lose everything -- EPA funding, National Parks, subsidies for wind and solar energy, countless jobs, and more. This is not the time to play games or give special treatment to corporations.

Monsanto is a ruthless company with a deadly history -- they're the inventor of killers like Agent Orange and DDT. With their army of countless lobbyists, they have laid siege to our nation's farmers and food safety.^[3] Monsanto even employs a team of 75 lawyers just to stalk and harass small farmers who reuse their own seeds!

It is clear Monsanto will stop at nothing to stay on top and doesn't care who it hurts along the way.

Tell your representative that no corporation should be above the law. Keep the Monsanto Protection Act out of the federal funding bill!

In it together,

Ashley Allison
SierraRise Senior Campaigner

P.S. Want to keep up with the latest about Monsanto and other campaigns from SierraRise? Like us on Facebook!

References:

[1] Hattem, Julian (2013 September 25). "Senate funding bill won't include Monsanto Protection Act." The Hill.

[2] Snopes staff (2013 September 13). "Monsanto Protection Act." Snopes.

[3] Cesca, Bob (2010 March 8). "Monsanto watch: Targeting American farmers with lawyers, fear and money." Daily Finance.

Is Europe More Civilized Than US?

Gotta love this quote from Monsanto: “We’re going to sell the GM seeds only where they enjoy broad farmer support, broad political support and a functioning regulatory system,” corporate spokesman Thomas Helscher told Reuters. “As far as we’re convinced this only applies to a few countries in Europe today, primarily Spain and Portugal.”

If we had a "functioning regulatory system" here in the USA, Monsanto would not be allowed to secretly insert their poisons into our food chain. They couldn't patent seeds given to us by Nature.  Hundreds of poor farmers in Third World countries would not have committed suicide after Monsanto's non-reproducing seeds had bankrupted them and made them lose their farms. American farmers would not have been persecuted for having the misfortune of being downwind of a Monsanto crop, having been colonized by them, and then being accused of stealing the Frankenfood, and taken to court for their own produce having been corrupted.

In Europe, it seems that Monsanto has given up their war to take over the food supply.  Great news - I hope! (Fingers crossed that they're not plotting some other fiendish method of poisoning us the EU's pleasant valleys.)

I have a wonderful memory of seeing on the BBC news in the UK in 1998, a group of Green protesters uprooting a field of Monsanto Frankenplants, while the British Bobbies looked on.

According to the CARE petition site,

"Just as in the United States, millions of European citizens have spoken out against Monsanto’s unchecked control of agriculture through the use of patented, genetically-modified seeds and plants.

A recent poll in Europe found that 60% of respondents considered “Frankencrops” a threat to public health. In 2007, the United States launched a planned retaliation against European countries for refusing to take GMOs into their food chains. In 2009 Monsanto sued Germany because it banned these products, reported FarmtoConsumer.org in late 2012.

Unlike U.S. leaders, those in Germany and elsewhere were not impressed by Monsanto’s well-known intimidation tactics. By January 2013, eight European nations had publicly banned the cultivation of genetically modified crops. Earlier this month, these and other European countries joined the massive March Against Monsanto, a global event that saw millions take to the streets in protest."

Read more: http://www.care2.com/causes/monsanto-surrenders-ends-all-gmo-lobbying-in-europe.html#ixzz2VB1W9aub
  

Back in the USA, two weeks ago, the New York Daily News reported, "Senate Republicans denied an attempt on Thursday to overturn the so-called “Monsanto Protection Act,” a measure recently signed into law that circumvents judicial authority concerning the planting and development of genetically modified seeds deemed to be unhealthy for human consumption.

An amendment to overturn the provision was put forth by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), but thanks to GOP opposition, it did not receive the unanimous consent required to be considered."
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/senate-dems-fail-overturn-monsanto-protection-act-article-1.1353287#ixzz2VAzMTA9H"

And Greenpeace has a Petition for you  - they say,

"Monsanto’s unapproved genetically engineered (GE) “Roundup Ready” wheat was found growing in a random Oregon field last week.
The farmer doesn’t know how it got there. Neither does anyone else since Monsanto ended field testing this type of wheat eight years ago. The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) is currently investigating the extent of the contamination. But this story isn’t surprising.

GE crops can’t be controlled. The fact is that contamination happens all the time while companies like Monsanto experiment with nature and our food supply. Putting an end to field testing is the only way to stop it.

Tell the USDA that the only way to prevent contamination is to put an immediate ban on field testing GE crops." [Petition here]

Will GMOs Lead to War?

Fascinating article by Anthony Gucciardi, sent to me by Nikki Alexander....

China Incinerates 3 US Shipments of Genetically Modified Corn

[I can't vouch for the facts he puts forward, but they're worth looking into.]

LINK:  http://www.nationofchange.org/china-incinerates-3-us-shipments-genetically-modified-corn-1369407166

Gucciardi claims that "The reality explains not only why the US government continues to approve and outwardly support Monsanto’s GMOs despite being linked to a number of serious health conditions, but also explains why the US threatened ‘military style trade wars‘ against those who oppose Monsanto.

It’s becoming increasingly clear that Monsanto’s major connections in government, like FDA head Michael Taylor, are lending aid to the GMO crusade in ways that even surprise me.

And perhaps what’s most interesting with this situation here is that China has essentially acted against the US by destroying these crops — crops that the US government pushes on nations, targeting those who defy Monsanto."

Monsanto's GMO Poisons - A Good Question

Rising up against Monsanto's poison

First, a report on a large demo in New York City:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4TqqEUgbaXc

And now, some fun videos of a lively demo in Ventura County yesterday: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=lrBWt2pZhMk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=T-5PBELZfZE#!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=NGo0CQt_wq4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=w6zSP7qvYIk

http://youtu.be/8RR-ZLo-gtI

Memorial Day tomorrow, when we remind ourselves that War is vileness and brutality, and no human being should even contemplate taking part in such a thing.

GMO's: Congress "Operates with the Same Awareness as a Flatulent Grandpa"

Jon Stewart's "Daily Show" nails it again!  Did you know that the slimy criminals who infest our halls of Government are allowed to amend our laws without even having to attach their names to their crimes?

"Wait!  They can do what?!?"

Watch the Clip below...

But first, while I'm on the subject of our useless leaders:  that habit that Obama-the-haha!-Socialist and the senile Harry Reid have, of not advancing any courageous measure whatsoever, on the excuse that they don't have enough votes to win (remember the Public Option on Healthcare?) - that habit that we all just assumed was the usual Dimmocratic habitual cowardice?  Well, that habit also has the consequence of never making them stand up and be on record for what they vote for or against.  Not to labor the point, but suppose you're a cowardly Dimm whose constituents are clamoring for Gun Control, but you're quietly stuffing your face at the NRA trough? Thanks to Obama's chickenshittery, you never have to say publicly what you stand for.

[Google apparently only allows us to link to YouTube videos, other sources are SOL.]

Watch on, Brothers and Sisters at this link....  http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-april-3-2013/you-stuck-what-where-now-

Oui, C'est Bono! Wealth vs Poverty Today

First the good news, then the bad....

There's a witty and hopeful speech by Bono, on the massive progress we're making towards eliminating poverty in the world - almost never mentioned in the mainstream media:





And there's the struggle to make the 1% pay even a fraction of their grotesque wealth towards the common good - this came in today from the Daily Kos:

"Despite conservative screams about the “socialist communist Kenyan Muslim” in the White House, fact is that Wall Street just had its best week… ever. That’s not hyperbole -- the Dow just hit new highs ten days in a row.

Meanwhile, in real America, the sequester threatens hundreds of thousands of jobs in the midst of an anemic recovery, with DC deadlocked thanks to obstructionist Republicans. And of course, conservatives continue to insist that any budget deal include further hardships on the working class and retired.

But Sens. Tom Harkin and Sheldon Whitehouse have a better idea -- a Wall Street speculation tax. The burden on traders would be minimal -- just three pennies on every $100 traded, or 0.03 percent.

This absurdly modest tax would raise $352 billion over 10 years, or one-third of what the sequester will cut, creating and saving jobs, and putting the burden where it belongs -- on those who created our economic problems, profited most from taxpayer bailouts, and continue to profit today.

As is usually the case in DC, the roadblock isn’t public opinion -- 81 percent of Americans support a tax on trading. What we need are bold leaders to take on the corporatist lobby, and a grassroots army to have their backs.
Join with Daily Kos, Democracy for America, and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse by signing the petition telling Congress to tax Wall Street speculation.

Keep fighting,
Markos Moulitsas
Publisher and founder, Daily Kos"

And this from Food Democracy Now, about the Monsanto gangsters, and their plan to control the world's Food Supply:

"Dear Friend,

Once again, Monsanto and the biotech industry are working behind closed doors to undermine your basic rights. This time they’ve gone too far!

This week, Senator Mikulski (D-MD) has introduced an outrageous rider giving a blank check to Monsanto and other corporations to plant illegal genetically engineered crops and it could be voted on tomorrow!

This dangerous rider was not included in the House-passed CR, and we are extremely disappointed to see that Senator Mikulski has included it in the Senate version.

Thanks to our pressure Senator Tester has introduced an amendment (#74), co-sponsored by Senators Boxer, Gillibrand, and Leahy, to strike the rider from the Continuing Resolution!

Hidden under the guise of a “Farmer Assurance Provision” (Section 735), the provision strips the rights of federal courts to halt the sale and planting of genetically engineered crops during the legal appeals process.

In the past, legal advocates have successfully won in court the right to halt the sale and planting of unapproved GMO crops while the approval of those crops is under review by a federal judge.

Join us in putting a stop to the Monsanto Protection Act!

http://action.fooddemocracynow.org/sign/stop_the_monsanto_protection_act_today_senate/"

There you have it - the Good, the Bad, and the Plenty To Do!

Peace and Love,

Richard. (Click on the links to sign the Petitions!)

Challenging Monsanto, #2

I just found a cool link to the "Indiana Farmer vs Monsanto" case, in The Atlantic, written by Andrew Cohen, a contributing editor at The Atlantic and legal analyst for 60 Minutes. 

The story takes the form of a speculation on "What Would Woody Guthrie Think?"

Read on:  http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/02/monsantos-supreme-court-seed-fight-what-would-woody-guthrie-think/266072/

American Hero stands up to Monsanto

An Indiana farmer is taking Monsanto all the way to the Supreme Court over their genetically modified FrankenSeeds....

Thanks to my partner, Robin, for contributing this.  The report is from the New York Times Business Section, so it's pretty loaded towards the Monsanto spin on the issue, but at least it gets the case out to the public - http://www.nytimes.com/2013/02/16/business/supreme-court-to-hear-monsanto-seed-patent-case.html?smid=fb-share&_r=1&

If anyone has less business-slanted stories on this case, I'd be glad to hear about them - thanks!