Don't Be Afraid of the DARK

Almost exactly one year ago, we posted this article about the so-called DARK Act—legislation that would overturn existing laws, and ban any new ones—that would mandate labeling of GMO foods in the US.

Those who are anti-GMO foods and pesticides are often accused of being just a bunch of hippie freaks, luddites who cannot accept that we've embarked upon a new and beautiful age of scientific dominance over Nature, the benefits of which far exceed the negatives. If that is so, then the vast majority of Americans are, in fact, hippie freaks (click on the image to enlarge, and you'll see what I mean):

http://www.justlabelit.org/

Our post was a call to action—literally, contact info was provided for your Representative’s office in Washington. And while that bill passed the Congress, we are pleased to report that last week it was defeated in the Senate. Good on you, US Senate, for standing up for the will of the people.

Regrettably, no major news outlet (that I could find) has reported on this very important story. Here's a link to the best source I've found:

From The Environmental Working Group:

"In a major win for consumers, [Senators who sponsored the pro-GMO legislation] yesterday [March 16, 2016] failed to attract the votes ... needed to end debate on a bill known to opponents as the Deny Americans the Right to Know Act. It fell far short of the 60-vote threshold required to advance the bill."

" ... The defeat of the DARK Act gives Congress the opportunity to craft a national mandatory GMO-labeling compromise that works for consumers and the food industry."

So it seems that the DARK Act, with your help, is done for now. 

Would you like to know how your representative voted? Follow this link to find out!

In the meantime, if you did contact your lawmaker over this, give yourself a pat on the back!

Fast Track Detoured

Previously, we talked about the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (TPA-2015) -- the “fast track” legislation to push through the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal.

We talked about how there's little in this sweeping TPP legislation for regular people to benefit from, and actually a lot for them to be worried about, if it were to pass. We even gave out ways to contact our representatives in Congress and urge them to vote against the fast track authority.

The good news is, it seems to have worked! 

Today, the deal's advocates were not able to pull in enough votes to make the thing happen, and for that, you can give yourselves a pat on the back, if you are one of the many people who did contact their congressperson. As CNN puts it:

(The defeat) showcased the strength of populist elements of both parties, who beat back an intense lobbying push from traditional Washington forces like the Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Manufacturers.

However, no one should expect that this will now go away. We, the people, have shown that we can do it, and we need to keep showing it. Click here to contact your congressperson today, letting them know you are still very much a part of this fight! 

Just Say No

Previously on this blog, we talked about the so-called DARK Act, a bill before Congress that would make it illegal to label products that contain GMOs. Just in case it fails, there's another plan in place, one even weirder than DARK.

To ensure that the public will never know what's really in their food, there's the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. The TPP is a sweeping international trade deal, negotiated largely in secret, designed almost exclusively by the corporations it would most benefit. It would affect everything from banking to farming to intellectual property rights, so there's lots of reasons to be alarmed. 

From Vox.com: 

... this system for setting global rules has some serious defects. We expect the laws that govern our economic lives will be made in a transparent, representative, and accountable fashion. The TPP negotiation process is none of these — it's secretive, it's dominated by powerful insiders, and it provides little opportunity for public input.

Supporters of the deal say it will make the US more competitive in the global marketplace. I'm not sure turning the world into a court room where corporations can use legal muscle to trump native laws is what I would call "competition." This article is a great summary of the feeling:

Private corporations should not have the option of suing a nation whenever they feel like a rule or law has effected their profit rate. This is simply a part of doing business; an inherent aspect of capitalism. Investing is never risk-free; there are natural, social, and political changes that could always hurt an investment. More importantly, when a company’s product is hurting people or the environment, government has the right and obligation to stop it.

So what can any of us do to keep such a thing from happening? Well, there actually is something. There's a bill in Washington at the moment called the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015 (TPA-2015). It is “fast track” legislation to push through the proposed Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade deal. “Fast track” authority would eliminate Congress’s right to make any changes to the President’s trade deals before signing off. The administration needs Congress to pass TPA-2015 to bring the TPP negotiations to fruition.

That's where you come in.

Click here to let your Senators know you oppose the TPP, and urge them to vote "no" on TPA-2015. Corporations that profit from hiding GMOs shouldn’t be the ones writing the rules about GMO labeling – but that’s exactly what TPP and fast track would mean.

To learn more visit exposethetpp.org

Thanks to Big Sister Marsha, RN, MSN, for giving us the heads up on this important issue.

Are You Afraid of the DARK?

GMO stands for Genetically Modified Organisms. The corporations that make them, such as Monsanto, constantly assure us that these scientifically altered foods and pesticides are perfectly safe. That must be why they are supporting a bill that would make it illegal to identify products that contain them.

The Statesman Journal (because CNN doesn't think you're interested) has reported that a bill was introduced in Congress last week that would overturn GMO labeling laws enacted in Vermont, Connecticut and Maine, prohibit other states from enacting food-labeling laws, and make it harder for the FDA to mandate labeling nationwide.

Among its supporters are the Grocery Manufacturers Association, PepsiCo, Monsanto and Koch Industries.

Opponents have dubbed it the Deny Americans the Right-to-Know, or DARK Act.

"The evidence is mounting that Monsanto's glyphosate and other chemicals used on genetically engineered crops may be harming our health," said Lisa Archer, a program director with Friends of the Earth. "Americans have more reason than ever to want to know whether they are eating GMOs."

Okay, Monsanto. If your Frankenfoods are safe, and you legitimately believe that the work you do is not just healthy, but a benefit to all mankind, why hide your light under a bushel? How can you not be excited to have your miraculous inventions labeled, helping the public to more easily find your products? Why not help a government mandate and design a label that shows how awesome you are? 

What are you afraid of?

Let's let Monsanto know that we trust them, and that we want to buy their products, in all their mysterious, probably cancer-causing glory, but that we can't do that unless they are CLEARLY LABELED.

Dial 1-877-796-1949. You’ll hear more information about the DARK Act, and then you’ll be automatically connected to your Representative’s office in Washington. Let him or her know that you OPPOSE the DARK Act (H.R. 1599) and SUPPORT the Genetically Engineered Food Right-to-Know Act (H.R. 913).

To learn more, visit this link.

Too late, Monsanto! The Interwebs have it covered.

Thanks to Big Sister Marsha, RN, MSN, for getting us this info .