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10:07pm
I like to eat my corn-fed beef, delivered by ethanol-powered trucks with sweet-corn on the side
I’ve been reading THESE articles that give different opinions about a variety of topics and tomorrow’s edition is about whether or not the world is producing enough food. I always get angry about this topic because America is VERY privileged with what we get to eat. We are allowed to eat more meat than any people ever before. We get to eat it in every season because we have refrigeration, we get more meat at a lower cost because we feed our cattle cheap, government-subsidized corn and we get it delivered cheaply by use of government-subsidized ethanol.
It’s a shame to me that in such a wealthy country like ours, our desire and ingenuity to create cheap food has cost us much regarding our health, nutrition and moral obligation to the world. In a world wear people starve because the costs of grain goes up, we complain because our cereal is in a smaller package. In a country where we are told to eat more fish because they contain omega-3 fatty acids, we have to actually eat MORE fish than usual because we feed our farm-raised fish grain, which makes them have LOWER amounts of omega-3s. I live in a country where people don’t like the meat in Europe because it tastes weird. I’ll tell you why it tastes weird; it’s because their cattle don’t eat corn, they eat grass and plants which give them their NATURAL taste. You’re used to consuming fake cattle. Ugh. I’m done.
No, here’s my final point. I don’t think we CAN produce enough food for the world to eat, naturally. I think this whole ‘natural, organic, local farm-based" economy can’t work on such a large level. Not only are we going to have to have MORE industrialized farming, but I think America is going to have to maybe get used to not being able to eat beef in all seasons or sweet corn in the winter. I mean, I’ve already had to start cutting back on my shark-fin soup.
10:27pm
Obama has TRICKED them again!
I hate Obama’s budget proposal and love it at the same time. I can’t stand that, after all he’s done about finding out budget items to cut (surveys, discussions, EVEN A FLIPPING DEBT COMMISSION), he still didn’t do ANYTHING in this budget. Except call the Republican’s bluff. Because he offered a stiff first hand, the Republican’s are going to have to counter with some actual budget cutting. Boehner even said, “Our budget will lead where the President has failed, and it will include real entitlement reforms so that we can have a conversation with the American people about the challenges we face and the need to chart a new path to prosperity.”
Now they’re going to need to actually cut some entitlements.
If you're gonna up the retirement age for Social Security, do it faster. Waiting till 2075 to go to 69 is ridiculous. Starting now, up it one year every five years 'til it gets to 70.
ReplyDeleteMedicaid. Don't let ilegal aliens, other foreigners, and felons collect it. Repeal Obamacare.
Defense. With our current abilities to get almost anywhere quickly and our state of the art communication capabilities, I don't think we still need so many troops in places like England, Germany, Italy, S. Korea, Iceland, etc., etc.,etc.
The problem comes when people see Social Security as something they paid into for themselves, which is a falsehood perpetuated by the Government to get people to side with the program. If we view it, instead, as it originally was intended (Welfare for the elderly) we can change the retirement age and means test the program with whether or not someone can afford to live without it.
ReplyDeleteAlso, it SHOULD be tied to inflation. The only reason people complained the last couple years about not an increase in payments, even though inflation was flat, MEDICAL costs increased; but that's a whole different issue.
And I'm surprised, pleasantly, at your views on defense, considering you're such an army guy and all (I hope it WAS army and I'm not offending you).
Welfare and medicaid also have to be better means tested and come with programs to help people get OUT of those programs, if they can.
It was U.S. Air Force. And I think WE DO spend Defense money on things that are unecessary, like so many troops in friendly countries and military help for dictators. At the same time, we make dumb mistakes by cutting or retiring useful and necessary weapons systems and R&D.The folks making these decisions evidently never read history. Virtually every time in our history we've disarmed, we've paid for it later. And we should quit fooling around with diplomacy when it is obvious to a moron that it isn't working.
ReplyDeleteI did pay into Social Security for myself. Trouble is I probably won't live long enough to collect all I paid in, never mind the govt's contribution. First, even though I paid the max for the required number of quarters, since I worked in PERS for the State of Alaska, they deduct 60% of what I would have gotten. Then they charge me $110 a month for Medicare (which I don't need, but can't refuse). I'm left with a measly $350 a month. That's not even a car payment anymore. AND they TAX it!
ReplyDelete