Archive for December 11th, 2010
Democrats Pull Fast One With S510 Food Safety Modernization Act
December 11, 2010: Sarah Foster / News With Views.com – December 10, 2010
WASHINGTON – It didn’t take long for Democrats in the House to figure a way around the constitutional roadblock that halted the advance of S. 510: The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act, following its approval by the Senate last week.
When proponents found the measure couldn’t move forward in the House, they quietly attached it as an amendment to the $1.1 Trillion continuing resolution (CR), H.R. 3082: “The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act of 2011” – a measure designed to fund the government through September, that was headed to the floor for a vote. Folding S. 510 into H.R. 3082 added some 238 pages to the appropriations measure, which now has 423.
GOP members protested using the continuing resolution as a piggyback ride for S. 510. House Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla.), the incoming Agriculture Committee chairman, slammed the Democrats for resorting to legislative tricks to pass what has become a bitterly contentious measure. “This is the sort of nonsense that Americans rejected just a few weeks ago,” Lucas exclaimed during the debate.
Nonetheless, on Wednesday evening the House approved the package (the CR with S. 510 and several other tax-spending bills attached), along a largely party-line vote of 212-206 — with not a single Republican vote cast in favor. Moreover, 35 Democrats joined their GOP colleagues in casting No votes. Eight Democrats and eight Republicans are listed as not voting. Click here for the roll-call.
In addition to the CR/S.510 combo (now H.R. 3082), the Democrats rammed through House Resolution 1752, the “’Martial Law’ / Same Day Authority Rule,” a measure that allows suspension of House rules to bring up bills with virtually no notice through Dec. 18. The vote was 215-194, with no Republican support, 27 Democrats voting no and eight Democrats and eight Republicans not voting. Click here for the roll-call.
Pelosi’s “Shenanigans”
In a first-hand account Lee Bechtel, lobbyist for the National Health Federation which has fought the food-safety bill from its inception, described the “shenanigans” and “legislative sausage-making” (his terms) that he observed Wednesday on the part of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her minions.
“Make no mistake, Speaker Pelosi and her Democratic lieutenants used all of the legislative tools at their disposal to short-circuit the normal legislative process so as to pass the misnamed Food Safety bill,” he declares. According to Bechtel:
“Prior to debate under a closed rule, the rule to approve S.510 as an amendment [to the CR] and hold a final vote was adopted by a vote of 207 For and 206 Against, with Pelosi herself casting the deciding vote. The Democrats held the vote open just until they could get their one-vote victory, and then immediately gaveled the vote closed with ten Republicans not being able to vote! And who was it who said that party was misnamed? Who reading this can ever think the Democratic leadership represents democracy?” Click here for the roll-call.
The lack of support by Republicans was not simply because of the addition of S. 510 and the way it was pushed through the meat grinder, though those were factors. H.R. 3082 is a makeshift appropriations measure, hurriedly put together because the Democratic Appropriations Committee had not approved a budget for any of the federal agencies. It will fund the first steps towards implementation of ObamaCare, including setting up the bureaucracy. The same applies to S. 510, provided it survives the Senate.
Republicans favor a shorter-term continuing resolution that would apply only through February, but the Democrats in control would not permit a vote on that matter. They are determined to continue their control over Congress, despite the mid-term elections, and this is one way to do it. If they can salvage S. 510 at the same time so much the better.
Constitutional Roadblock
The food-safety bill passed the Senate last week 73-25, but was stopped when the House discovered that the legislation contained a revenue-generating provision (Section 107), a clear violation of Article 1, Section 7 – the “Origination Clause” of the U.S. Constitution. The brief sentence gives such authority solely to the Lower Chamber, stating “All bills for raising Revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives.”
A stronger version of the bill passed the House in July 2009 by a vote of 283-142, but with the House scheduled to adjourn Dec. 17, Democrats decided to pass the Senate version “as is,” without sending it to conference. The discovery of a revenue-raising provision in S. 510 put the kibosh on their plans for a few days.
The theory behind the “shenanigans” is that passing S. 510 as part of a revenue bill removed the constitutional impediments, making it possible to claim that S. 510 originated in and was passed by the House. It’s up to the Senate what to do about it. But the question is: Should (or can) a food-safety bill become law when passed as part of a temporary appropriations measure?
The “SS of Food Fascism”
As its title indicates S. 510 grants vast new regulatory and law enforcement powers to the Food and Drug Administration, in the most expansive overhauling and empowering of the agency in 70 years. FDA regulators are expected to impose a tsunami of regulations and rules on food-producers driving many out of business. Its scope includes small farming operations.
Mike Adams, the “Food Ranger” at NaturalNews.com, writes: “If you think the FDA is bad now, just wait until they are granted yet more powers (and funding) to unleash an army of thousands of new agents who sweep across America, raiding small family farms (no, they’re not all exempted from this bill) and imprisoning raw milk producers.”
“The FDA is about to become the SS of food fascism,” Adams predicts. “This is not an exaggeration. Who would have thought, five years ago, that the TSA would be reaching down your pants and feeling your genitals? Just imagine now what the FDA will do with similar powers over your food and farms. Crudely put, the TSA may be feeling your junk, but the FDA will have us all by the balls.”
UPDATE from Farm-To-Consumer Legal Defense Fund: Vote NO on Cloture: As the bill is now in the Senate, the first vote on H.R. 3082 will be on a cloture motion to limit debate before there is a vote on the bill itself. FRCLDF urges people to contact their Senators now “to tell them to Vote ‘NO’ on Cloture for H.R. 3082 and Oppose the ‘FDA Food Safety Modernization Act’ (Division D of H.R. 3082.).”
For more information from FTCLDF and to take action against H.R. 3082: Click Here.
Capital Switchboard: 202-224-3121. Senators and Representatives can be reached quicker through calling their offices direct. For phone and fax numbers and email addresses, check at house.gov or senate.gov.
NOTE: See Dr. Laurie Roth’s article, Global Elites Push to Starve the World and Control the Food, posted in this issue of NewsWithViews.
Earlier Stories:
1 – Doreen Hannes: S. 510 Hits Constitutional Snag, but Be Wary: Dec. 7, 2010
2 – Jonathan Emord: FDA Hypocrisy: Dec. 6, 2010
3 – Sarah Foster: Whoops — Food Safety Bill Hits Constitutional Snag: Dec. 2, 2010
4 – Sarah Foster: “Lame-Duck” Harry Reid Flying High With Food Safety Bill: Nov. 30, 2010
5 – Sarah Foster: FDA Food “Safety” Bill Can Be Stopped: Nov. 24, 2010
6 – Sarah Foster: Hey, Tea Partiers — Where Are You?: Nov. 18, 2010
7 – Sarah Foster: FDA Food “Safety” Bill Poised for Passage: Nov. 16, 2010
8 – Doreen Hannes: Cheese Factory, FDA and Corruption: Nov. 13, 2010
9 – Sarah Foster: House Set to Vote on Fast-Tracked “Food Safety” Bill: July 30, 2009
10 – Sarah Foster: Will Congress Wipe Out Home Gardens, Growers Markets? Mar. 23, 2009
Resource Material
1 – S. 510: The FDA Food Safety Modernization Act
2 – H.R. 3082: The Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011: 423 pages. S. 510 is Division D, Food Safety, page 185 to end.
3 – Summary: Year-Long Funding Act for FY 2011: 10 pages. S 510 is cited on pages 2 and 10.
Senate Bill S510 Makes It Illegal To Grow, Share, Trade Or Sell Homegrown Food
The Tonka Report Editor’s Note: As I’ve stated previously, this is an open declaration of war against the people of America by this disgusting, murderous, and treasonous US government… Wake up, people! – SJH
Link to original article below…
Top 10 States Americans Are Leaving And Where They Are Moving
December 11, 2010: Jenna Goudreau / Forbes.com via Yahoo News – December 8, 2010
“We’re seeing one of the lowest mobility rates in a century,” says Nathaniel Karp, chief economist for banking firm BBVA Compass. Karp says the recession has forced many people to stay put because they are unable to sell their homes, cannot find jobs or are unwilling to relocate for work if it means sacrificing a partner’s stable position.
The slowdown makes the question of who’s moving and why even more significant than in years past. Using 2010 projections by Moody’s Economy.com, Forbes ranked the states in which people are leaving faster than they are arriving. Economists report several overlapping trends that may be forcing people out of certain states as much as they are pulling them toward others.
At No.1 on our list, New York is expected to wave goodbye to 49,000 more people than it gains this year. The state has seen a steady loss of residents over the past five years, losing an average of 100,000 people per year. Karp explains that, because New York is a large state, it may report greater movement than others, but notes that population size is not the only reason residents are fleeing.
“In order to move, you need to be able to sell your home,” says Karp. “The housing market [in New York] has not gone through the meltdown that other states have gone through.”
While New York homeowners may have a slightly easier time selling their homes and moving to greener pastures, a competing trend is the number of unemployed renters who can no longer afford the high cost of living in and around New York City. Karp says the expensive lifestyle and high taxes may force the long-term unemployed to move on to more affordable regions.
The Prairie State came in at No. 2. Illinois is expected to lose 27,000 people this year, consistent with its average annual loss over the last five years. The losses are likely linked to the state’s economy and tax structure. Job losses in manufacturing and industrial machinery are likely pushing people out of the state, Karp says, adding that state taxes have also been “an issue” for many residents.
Midwestern states, in fact, are well-represented in the top-10 list. Nebraska (No. 4), Kansas (No. 5) and North Dakota (No. 9) are among the many central states projected to lose residents in 2010.
The movement may be related to broader structural changes. “For most of the decade people have been moving to the South and Southwest,” says Kenneth Johnson, a demographer and professor of sociology at the University of New Hampshire. He believes the trend is closely related to life cycle: Retirees are attracted to states with temperate climates, affordable costs of living, good health care and pretty scenery. For these reasons, Florida and Arizona are expected to receive an influx of hundreds of thousands of people this year.
At the same time, young people in search of jobs may move to the regions to work in services and high tech, says Karp. Texas and North Carolina are home to some of the largest public companies in the country, like Exxon Mobil and Bank of America, and are also among the top-five most attractive states this year.
At least two states in the top 10 are victims of unfortunate circumstances. Louisiana (No. 7) and Mississippi (No. 10) are both expected to lose residents this year. In 2006, the year after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, almost 300,000 people left Louisiana and nearly 20,000 moved out of Mississippi. The projected losses this year, though much milder, could be related to the impact of the BP oil spill.
Though specific conditions are pushing people out of some states, economists say more people moving around would be a positive sign for the economy. “Mobility makes it easier to respond to economic cycles,” says Karp. “People are still living in places where there are no jobs. That’s one of [the] reasons why the unemployment rate remains really high.”
Top 5 States People Are Fleeing
No. 1: New York
Projected Loss: 49,000 people
Population: 19.7 million
Percentage Change: -0.25%
The Big Apple may lose more people than it gains in 2010 because of the depressed job market, high cost of living and an ongoing trend of retirees and job-seekers heading to the South and Southwest.
No. 2: Illinois
Projected Loss: 27,000 people
Population: 13 million
Percentage Change: -0.21%
Economist Nathaniel Karp says Illinois’ tax structure and loss of manufacturing jobs may be pushing people out of the state this year.
No. 3: Ohio
Projected Loss: 8,900 people
Population: 11.6 million
Percentage Change: -0.08%
Over the last five years Ohio has lost an average of about 30,000 people per year. This year its losses are projected to slow, but remain significant enough to put the state at No. 3.
No. 4: Nebraska
Projected Loss: 5,900 people
Population: 1.8 million
Percentage Change: -0.33%
Nebraska has seen steady losses since 2001. The projected number of people leaving the state this year is particularly high when considering its small population.
No. 5: Kansas
Projected Loss: 4,200 people
Population: 2.9 million
Percentage Change: -0.14%
The Census Bureau reports modest gains for Kansas since 2007. The losses expected this year are similar to those seen in the earlier part of the decade, when the state lost an average of 4,500 per year.
Click On Link Below For Top 10 States People Are Leaving In Pictures:
Should I Stay Or Should I Go
The Tonka Report Editor’s Note: After 7 months here in Chicago, I for one am returning to Florida! – SJH
Link to original article below…
http://realestate.yahoo.com/promo/top-10-states-people-are-fleeing.html
Homeland Security Recruiting Neighborhood ‘Spies’ As Informants
December 11, 2010: Crime File News Editors / Crime File News.com / December 6, 2010
Boycott Walmart immediately! – SJH
Washington, DC—There were the infamous Gestapo, Stazi and Red Guard. They all sought and maintained civilian armies of snitches to help their rogue governments maintain absolute power. These government thugs wanted any information they could use against the victims they selectively targeted.
Today we have the Department of Homeland Security that is quickly stepping into this role in the United States.
They are massively expanding their authority, reach and budget to smash dissent, and any resistance to government repression and violation of our Civil Rights. If you have not noticed, our government has suspended the Fourth Amendment in the name of anti-terrorism. If you haven’t noticed, It’s our own government that has become the terrorist.
Now Homeland Security is beginning a massive recruitment drive to get people to snitch on their neighbors. When this happens they suggest they want information about crime or terrorism but this always degenerates into what these criminal regimes really want, a hideous form of Thought Police. What they truly want is information about Americans resisting the Police State.
I’m not suggesting that people not report actual crimes as they have always done. We all have the responsibility to warn our neighbors if their house is on fire.
The Homeland Security program is about allowing the government to employ neighborhood busybodies to spy on all of us. Homeland Security just recruited Wal-Mart as a spying partner.
By the way, if you’ve not noticed, Homeland security is not a law enforcement agency staffed by trained cops. American law enforcement officials are all required to take an oath to defend the U.S. Constitution. Perhaps that’s why nearly 60.000 TSA screeners and their bosses have no problem violating the civil rights of American travelers.
Read the DHS press release here: http://www.dhs.gov/ynews/releases/pr_1291648380371.shtm
Homeland Security – Walmart Public Service Announcement
The Tonka Report Editor’s Note: “…the only thing we have to fear is fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror…” – FDR Inaugural Address: March 4, 1933
Homeland Security Partners With Walmart To Look For Terrorists
Link to original article below…
http://www.crimefilenews.com/2010/12/homeland-security-recruiting.html
The Tonka Report 