Obama signs Monsanto Protection Act while Gay Marriage has us distracted

[SumBlackguyz]

'Monsanto Protection Act': 5 Terrifying Things To Know About The HR 933 Provision

President Barack Obama signed a spending bill, HR 933, into law on Tuesday that includes language that has food and consumer advocates and organic farmers up in arms over their contention that the so-called "Monsanto Protection Act" is a giveaway to corporations that was passed under the cover of darkness.

There's a lot being said about it, but here are five terrifying facts about the Farmer Assurance Provision -- Section 735 of the spending bill -- to get you acquainted with the reasons behind the ongoing uproar:

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1.) The "Monsanto Protection Act" effectively bars federal courts from being able to halt the sale or planting of controversial genetically modified (aka GMO) or genetically engineered (GE) seeds, no matter what health issues may arise concerning GMOs in the future. The advent of genetically modified seeds -- which has been driven by the massive Monsanto Company -- and their exploding use in farms across America came on fast and has proved a huge boon for Monsanto's profits.

But many anti-GMO folks argue there have not been enough studies into the potential health risks of this new class of crop. Well, now it appears that even if those studies are completed and they end up revealing severe adverse health effects related to the consumption of genetically modified foods, the courts will have no ability to stop the spread of the seeds and the crops they bear.

2.) The provision's language was apparently written in collusion with Monsanto. Lawmakers and companies working together to craft legislation is by no means a rare occurrence in this day and age. But the fact that Sen. Roy Blunt, Republican of Missouri, actually worked with Monsanto on a provision that in effect allows them to keep selling seeds, which can then go on to be planted, even if it is found to be harmful to consumers, is stunning. It's just another example of corporations bending Congress to their will, and it's one that could have dire risks for public health in America.

3.) Many members of Congress were apparently unaware that the "Monsanto Protection Act" even existed within the bill they were voting on. HR 933 was a spending bill aimed at averting a government shutdown and ensuring that the federal government would continue to be able to pay its bills. But the Center for Food Safety maintains that many Democrats in Congress were not even aware that the provision was in the legislation:

“In this hidden backroom deal, Sen. [Barbara] Mikulski turned her back on consumer, environmental and farmer protection in favor of corporate welfare for biotech companies such as Monsanto,” Andrew Kimbrell, executive director of the Center for Food Safety, said in a statement. “This abuse of power is not the kind of leadership the public has come to expect from Sen. Mikulski or the Democrat Majority in the Senate.”

4.) The President did nothing to stop it, either. On Tuesday, Obama signed HR 933 while the rest of the nation was fixated on gay marriage, as the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral argument concerning California's Proposition 8. But just because most of the nation and the media were paying attention to gay marriage doesn't mean that others were not doing their best to express their opposition to the "Monsanto Protection Act." In fact, more than 250,000 voters signed a petition opposing the provision. And Food Democracy Now protesters even took their fight straight to Obama, protesting in front of the White House against Section 735 of the bill. He signed it anyway.

5.) It sets a terrible precedent. Though it will only remain in effect for six months until the government finds another way to fund its operations, the message it sends is that corporations can get around consumer safety protections if they get Congress on their side. Furthermore, it sets a precedent that suggests that court challenges are a privilege, not a right.

“I think any time you tweak with the ability of the public to seek redress from the courts, you create a huge risk,” Seattle attorney Bill Marler -- who has represented victims of foodborne illness in successful lawsuits against corporations -- told the New York Daily News.

 

[spoiled]

 

[Julius Skrrvin]

Yeah i read about this earlier too. Even the name of this shyt is ridiculous.

They were talking about this on NPR

 

[Piff Perkins]

Sounds like a bunch of butthurt farmers to me. Long live the new seed

 

[Arrogance.]

I've already been trying to watch what I eat. I definitely will now

 

[livindajetlife]

Wtf is goin on man....

 

[2Quik4UHoes]

Amy Goodman coulda been talkin about this, but she had to waste 40+ minutes of my time rappin me up about faggits gettin married.

 

[you're NOT "n!ggas"]

fukk obama on this one

 

[Orbital-Fetus]

damn...our government is fukked.

Monsanto is the epitome of corporate dominance over the Republic that was America.

 

[Demon]

thats yall cac president right there

 

[Field Marshall Bradley]

damn...our government is fukked.

Monsanto is the epitome of corporate dominance over the Republic that was America.

People don't even get it....

Food has just been patented ladies & gentlemen...

Them collard greens and tomatoes your grandma used to plant in her backyard will get her 3 years fed time now.....

 

[newworldafro]

yep OP.... I mentioned it a few days ago in this thread....... http://www.the-coli.com/locker-room/32471-genetically-modified-food-2.html... got one reply.......

I'm at the point now .. where I'm just

... when folks get upset about something that is already old news........

...whoever added this amendment wrote it so that courts can not make judgements on genetically modified cases....they basically blocked one of the three branches of government from doing their job ...... the reign of disgustness continues unabated as we continue to be distracted.........you are correct sir....

 

[Orbital-Fetus]

People don't even get it....

Food has just been patented ladies & gentlemen...

Them collard greens and tomatoes your grandma used to plant in her backyard will get her 3 years fed time now.....

the seeds Monsanto supply are designed to resist things like weather and insects...

weather modification....chemtrails
insects....polination...bees are going extinct

 

[Binary]

To be fair, congress or the senate voted it through and he signed it. But

 

[Field Marshall Bradley]

the seeds Monsanto supply are designed to resist things like weather and insects...

weather modification....chemtrails
insects....polination...bees are going extinct

At what expense?....And agriculture in the organic sense has been around for at least 5,000 years...but since Monsanto say the game is all fukked up we gotta switch it up now? And let them reap all of the profit?