Wednesday, March 30, 2005

James Baker Must Resign from Blue-Ribbon Election Reform Commission!

Monday, March 28, 2005

The Paper Chase

Blogs, news sites team up to bring underreported news to those beyond the Web

Someone have a lot of paper and feel like printing? This project aims to get the news out -- rather than relying on the traditional media to get the news out, maybe we're going to have to print out the stories and leave them everywhere.

Tuesday, March 15, 2005

"Congressional Cretins and the Ides of March"

I thought this a rather scary story about the Senate planning to end the possibility of Senate filibustering of judicial nominees and also clearing the way for ANWR to be plundered. Apparently they believe they have the votes necessary to change the rules. Help!

t r u t h o u t || Congressional Cretins and the Ides of March

Sunday, March 13, 2005

The Republican Dictionary

William Rivers Pitt of Truthout has posted this "Republican Dictionary". No one's quite sure where it came from...

t r u t h o u t || The Republican Dictionary

Friday, March 11, 2005

Velvet Revolution

This is the web site I was talking about, Velvet Revolution. Consider the list of affiliates down the left side of the screen. Wha? Are you serious?!? Look at all those groups!

VELVETREVOLUTION.US

They are first of all interested in election reform, but media reform, Iraq, and "other stuff of note" are also part of it all.

Here's a snippet from the "about" page:

"VelvetRevolution.us is a non-profit organization that intends to bring together all the many progressive movements, organizations and people in the country to oppose the arrogance of power in Washington today. VR will use the lessons learned in civil rights movements worldwide to insure that the policies and laws of the United States respect a rule of law based on the inalienable rights of freedom, liberty, peace and happiness. Tens of millions of Americans have made it very clear recently that they want a government that is tolerant, honest and respectful. VR is your movement. Please join, support and act!"

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

GMOs / Organic farming

Thanks to Steph for posting this to the DFA page. I thought it'd be a good post for the blog as well.

3/7/05--FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACTS: Leigh Adcock, 800-775-5227
Chris Petersen, 641-357-4090

FARMERS UNION HOLDING NEWS CONFERENCE TUESDAY, MARCH 8 ON GMO SEED BILLS

WHERE: Iowa Capitol, Room 305
WHEN: Tuesday, March 8, 8 - 8:30 a.m.
WHO: A panel of producers, both organic and conventional, economists and concerned citizens.
TOPIC: HF 202 and SF 259 would prohibit counties from regulating advertising or sale of agricultural seed. These bills have been proposed by the agribusiness lobby to allow them free access to Iowa farmland for GMO and GE seed. This is legislation in search of a problem. If passed, it will create a very real problem for conventional and organic producers who will be at risk of GMO contamination and wrongful lawsuits from seed companies.

For more information, see the letter below.

March 7, 2005


Dear Legislator,

I am writing to urge you to oppose SB 259 and its counterpart HF 202, which seek to prohibit Iowa counties from regulating agricultural seed.

Although neither bill uses the terms “GM” or “GE” seed, it is clear to us from researching these bills that they are being promoted by the biotech seed industry to guarantee their access to Iowa farm land. Our independent family farmer members do NOT want genetically modified seed contaminating their non-GMO acres, and they do not want to be targeted by agribusiness corporations in wrongful lawsuits.

Additionally, more research must be done on the safety of bio-tech crops, which is why many markets worldwide have banned the sale of GMO food products. Clearly, health, environmental, and economic issues need to be resolved before any such legislation should be considered.

This legislation is being presented as necessary to address a “crisis.” The Agribusiness Association frames it thus: “Current law does not prohibit local political entities from regulating the sale and planting of seeds. Legislation must be adopted as soon as possible before special interest groups disrupt accepted agricultural practices.” We in Farmers Union can see no crisis other than the difficulty seed companies fear they will face in penetrating the Iowa market. Their only concern is having the free and clear ability to push GMO seed to the grain producers of Iowa, whatever the consequences. Iowa’s farmers need more opportunities to diversify production in their operations to get a price, not fewer! Until the liability issues of GMO seed bag labeling instructions, contamination, drift, etc., are fully resolved by the legislature, this legislation is unacceptable.

Particularly vulnerable are Iowa’s organic farmers, who currently make up the highest growth segment of Iowa's agricultural base. We need a level playing field for all agriculture in this state. This legislation does not accomplish that goal; it only grants amnesty to the biotech industry.

Iowa Farmers Union has a lot of members who economically benefit from growing biotech crops. We also realize this technology has arrived and is here to stay in Iowa. However, its presence at times has been harmful and not fully policed to the benefit of farmers, consumers, the environment, and our health. ProdiGene, a spin-off of Des Moines-based Pioneer Hi-Bred International, faces up to $500,000 in fines for allegedly failing to properly manage sites in Iowa and Nebraska where the company tested a type of gene-altered corn for a swine vaccine.

It seems that there are enough questions unanswered to stop consideration of this legislation until it is proven that some crisis actually needs averting. Iowa Farmers Union believes at this time it is a local control issue best resolved by local government. At the very least, the legislature should allow Iowa's citizens to weigh in on this crucial topic, and not push it through without a public comment period. The Iowa code does not even contain a definition of “GMO” or “GE”; this would be an excellent time to begin that discussion. The biotech industry should not receive a free pass into Iowa without more responsible consideration from our lawmakers and citizens.

Sincerely,


Chris Petersen
President


Iowa Farmers Union
PO Box 8988
528 Billy Sunday Rd
Ames, IA 50014
800-775-5227

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Operation Truth

This is a really interesting site, a nonprofit, non-partisan veterans advocacy organization. They "reveal the truth about the war" here. Thought it interesting considering our discussion last Saturday about really supporting the troops.

Operation Truth: "Find out more about the shooting of an Italian journalist in Iraq. Plus, is the Pentagon hiding wounded vets? And the real story on body armor."

Monday, March 07, 2005

Wal Mart: Are their prices cheap afterall?

In the March 4th issue of the Quad City Times Wal Mart was cited as the employer with the most workers on Medicaid in the state of Iowa with 845. Wal Mart is known for paying low wages, not providing health insurance and fighting the formation of unions in their stores. It might be true that Wal Mart has lower prices, but they are able to do this when the government helps them subsidize their workforce. This is just another example of corporations pushing costs onto the backs of the American people.

Here is the article.

Sunday, March 06, 2005

Welcome

Hi all -

I had to take out one or two words and spaces from our mission statement to get it to fit in the space above, but I didn't alter any of the important words.

Here's how this is going to work: I will send you an invitation to join the blog; you will join (if you so choose!); then when you log in to blogger.com, you can post to the blog. There's also an e-mail version of posting.

After someone posts a message, you can comment on it.

If you have any questions, write me!

Anyone have any comments on the look and feel? I can alter it.

Cheers!