Let them eat cake? Nah, let them eat cantaloupe.

[White Eagle]

Let them eat cake? Nah, let them eat cantaloupe.
While people are dying from Listeria bacterial outbreak in cantaloupe the Republicans are cutting funding to FDA who has a law passed by the Dems to give the FDA better ammo to close companies who have these outbreaks in bacteria. So now the FDA does not have the funds to make the food we eat safe.


http://www.alternet.org/newsandview..._get_sick_from_tainted_cantaloupe/#paragraph6

Republicans Keep Pushing Food Safety Lenience as Hundreds Get Sick from Tainted Cantaloupe

You may not have heard of this story. I know I hadn't, but a Listeria bacterial outbreak in cantaloupe grown in Colorado has killed 21 people, and made 109 sick according to the latest figures released by Centers for Disease Control. More deaths are possible:

And this site is for Jack Springer, because I know he will not like Alternet. But, then I have the same feeling he won't like this BLOG!

http://www.boomantribune.com/story/2011/10/7/202822/605

Republicans Anti-Food Safety

by Steven D
Fri Oct 7th, 2011 at 08:28:22 PM EST
You may not have heard of this story. I know I hadn't, but a Listeria bacterial outbreak in cantaloupe grown in Colorado has killed 21 people, and made 109 sick according to the latest figures released by Centers for Disease Control. More deaths are possible:

An outbreak of listeria in cantaloupe has sickened at least 109 people and led to 21 deaths, tying for the deadliest food poisoning toll in more than a decade, federal health officials said Friday. [...]

 

[BostonPirate]

I think if the republicans in congress don't want the FDA anymore, they ought to go live in Mexico city for a month, breathe its air, eat the food from the local markets, and drink the water.

Then, after their hospital stays are over, they can come back and tell us why they support turning america into THAT.

 

[JayHawk]

There isnt enough funding on planet earth for the FDA to regulate every industry.

If the FDA had the ability to close these places the companies would file, sell, change names and open just like in the restaurant business with the ABC boards across the US.

SO the question is once again do we desire to fund an organization just to cause revenue at a state level for opening new business? Because there is no feasible way we can afford the FDA that regulates all food production. It would be a budget bugger than the current military.

 

[CowboyBob]

I don't see how deregulating food safety is good for the American people.

These republicans are trying to starve all safety nets by defunding them and giving the money to the billionaires. Vote the republicans out.

 

[JayHawk]

Now deregulation is another thing. There should be standards that are there to be kept. There just isn't enough workforce to get the FDA inspector to be everywhere. Each of these companies should be required to have a FDA licensed inspector paid for by the company. That is how the food processing industry works. Yet the ability for corruption is steep in those cases too.

 

[White Eagle]

OK I can agree with that.^^ It's the 109 people who are sick and may die that didn't need to be in this condition.
The Republicans ar just like in that debate, let them die.

 

[White Eagle]

^^If you'd read either of the OP links you would see that:

A 2010 law increased the FDA's authority to regulate and shut down any food related business that failed to respond adequately to FDA warnings that the business' practices were unsafe. Yet Republicans in Congress have worked tirelessly to cut funding to implement that law.

The republicans want to cut funds to fds and they can't continue following up on theese companies.

 

[jackoroe]

Considering the massive outbreaks of salmonella, listeria and all the rest, the FDA has failed to provide even a modicum of food safety. If a private company had failed so miserably in it's stated mission, they'd be out of business pronto.

Of course liberals always suggest throwing more money at failing agencies so they can fail on an ever bigger scale, requiring even bigger infusions of cash. Maybe we should get Solyindra to inspect our food. They couldn't be any worse at food inspections then they were at creating all those green jobs we were promised.

 

[jackoroe]

OK I can agree with that.^^ It's the 109 people who are sick and may die that didn't need to be in this condition.
The Republicans ar just like in that debate, let them die.

Perhaps had those 109 poor souls taken the time to actually wash the cantaloupe prior to eating it, they wouldn't have gotten sick. That's really all it takes to avoid Listeria. I know, it's ridiculous to ask that we take a measure of responsibility for ourselves.

 

[CFoTsD]

Of course liberals always suggest throwing more money at failing agencies so they can fail on an ever bigger scale, requiring even bigger infusions of cash.

It is easy for well meaning people to think more funding = better service. Just is not the case with our federal gov't.

 

[bankside]

Loki I've seen you take this approach before where you question the directness of a linkage. Sometimes it seems the only proof you would accept is "The Republican Law to Remove Federal Funding from Cantaloupe Inspections in Colorado." (but even then 3 democrats voted for it so it's bipartisan....)

If the law previously provided for the FDA to go after bacterial outbreaks, why wouldn't it be relevant to this news story? There may or may not be a direct tie. There may be other jurisdictions with shared responsibility. And it might be difficult to quantitatively determine the degree to which an investment pays off. But the difficulty of measuring "people who never got sick due to improved inspections" does not make that activity worthless.

 

[JB3]

Loki I've seen you take this approach before where you question the directness of a linkage. Sometimes it seems the only proof you would accept is "The Republican Law to Remove Federal Funding from Cantaloupe Inspections in Colorado." (but even then 3 democrats voted for it so it's bipartisan....)

If the law previously provided for the FDA to go after bacterial outbreaks, why wouldn't it be relevant to this news story? There may or may not be a direct tie. There may be other jurisdictions with shared responsibility. And it might be difficult to quantitatively determine the degree to which an investment pays off. But the difficulty of measuring "people who never got sick due to improved inspections" does not make that activity worthless.

What he's getting at is whether the investigation of the outbreak was hampered by the lack of funding, or if the lack of funding would have prevented it. It is a valid question to be raised.

 

[maxpowr9]

IMO, a large majority of "food scares" happen at the local level with the local Health Department doing an inadequate job. The FDA has little influence over local happenings so why people are blaming them is beyond me. I feel as if more people realized the corruption at the local level instead of putting all their attention at the national/federal level (the national corruption is bad too), we could turn this country into a better place.

 

[Just_Believe18]

Considering the massive outbreaks of salmonella, listeria and all the rest, the FDA has failed to provide even a modicum of food safety. If a private company had failed so miserably in it's stated mission, they'd be out of business pronto.

Of course liberals always suggest throwing more money at failing agencies so they can fail on an ever bigger scale, requiring even bigger infusions of cash. Maybe we should get Solyindra to inspect our food. They couldn't be any worse at food inspections then they were at creating all those green jobs we were promised.

With all due respect, Jackoroe, this is not a valid argument. The reason why we are continuing to have highly public outbreaks of food borne illness in this country is because the FDA is so underfunded and deemphasized by the federal government. Below, I link a 2007 USA Today article in support of this statement:
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2007-12-02-fda_N.htmp
I would agree with you that the FDA is failing, but for different reasons. When a regulating agency only has the funding and manpower to check a tiny percentage of food supplies circulating through this country, clearly there is an inadequacy. Therefore, I fundamentally disagree with you that because the FDA is failing to protect our food system, that this is somehow grounds to just send them "out of business pronto."

That would be like saying we should shut down a police department because crime is so high in a city that we make the assumption that clearly it's because the police force is failing to do their job. However, when you dig deeper to see the department is only funded one police officer per 2,000 citizens vs. if they were funded an officer per 1,000, it is hardly fair to say that they are failing out of incompetence. If you do not provide agencies the funding they need to function properly, you are not going to receive adequate protections and regulations.

 

[opinterph]

Perhaps had those 109 poor souls taken the time to actually wash the cantaloupe prior to eating it, they wouldn't have gotten sick.

This is the first listeriosis outbreak associated with melon. The illness can result from ingesting a relatively small number of the bacteria. The Centers for Disease Control recommends discarding any cantaloupes known to have originated from the infected farm or any cantaloupes for which the origin cannot be verified. [MMWR/CDC]

 

[Just_Believe18]

^ Thank you for also bringing this up, opinterph. It is a terrible generalization to make that these 109 people were somehow at fault for falling ill or dying because you assumed they didn't wash the cantaloupe prior to eating it, jackoroe.

 

[Joshua_me]

Considering the massive outbreaks of salmonella, listeria and all the rest, the FDA has failed to provide even a modicum of food safety. If a private company had failed so miserably in it's stated mission, they'd be out of business pronto.

Of course liberals always suggest throwing more money at failing agencies so they can fail on an ever bigger scale, requiring even bigger infusions of cash. Maybe we should get Solyindra to inspect our food..

Now, now, Jack....

That last line is just bitchy and uncalled for....

I DO agree with you that us "liberals" (you know - us pesky do gooders concerned with clean air, water and safe food - continuing to "throw money" at the problem is not the answer. But, that being said, what IS ?

I'd hate to think I'd made through three decades of life only to be done in by a cantaloupe.

I agree that the FDA has slipping up more and more, but any organization, public, privatized or otherwise needs the proper funding to function efficiently.

I don't know about you, but when I was growing up I don't recall people spending their final days in the hospital because they had helped themselves to a heapin' helping of bean sprouts from the salad bar.

 

[Tengilethos]

There are many reasons why the FDA could be failing (if it is failing). Lack of funding->manpower could be one. Not enough regulatory authority another. Bad management is possible as well. But reducing the funding won't improve the situation. Perhaps one should look at the systems failings and take a course of action that helps the FDA better do it's job? Or decide that the agency is not able to fulfill it's duty and replace it with a different system?

Ultimately I think it is a bad place to cut funding. The same with disaster protection. You really don't want to be cheap here.

 

[jackoroe]

Now, now, Jack....

That last line is just bitchy and uncalled for....

I DO agree with you that us "liberals" (you know - us pesky do gooders concerned with clean air, water and safe food - continuing to "throw money" at the problem is not the answer. But, that being said, what IS ?

I'd hate to think I'd made through three decades of life only to be done in by a cantaloupe.

I agree that the FDA has slipping up more and more, but any organization, public, privatized or otherwise needs the proper funding to function efficiently.

I don't know about you, but when I was growing up I don't recall people spending their final days in the hospital because they had helped themselves to a heapin' helping of bean sprouts from the salad bar.

Why would anyone assume that those who oppose big government are simply in favor of dirty air, water and unsafe food?

I don't know anyone who has a stash of clean water, air and food. We all eat drink and feed from pretty much the same sources. So, demonizing those of us who don't accept the notion of throwing more money at a failed program as supporters of filth doesn't ring true.

That aside, let the states ensure their food supply is safe. Food is sold locally, so it makes more sense to inspect it locally. Also, we need to accept more responsibility for our own food safety. Food grows in dirt. Bacteria, germs and other undesirable critters abound in dirt. Wash your food before you eat it raw. Most food borne illnesses are very preventable through simple preparation techniques.

 

[White Eagle]

I read the OP. is there any indication that this was caused by the FDA's inability to follow up on this particular company?

most of this type of stuff tends to be handled by the state agriculture departments.

Probably not, but the FDA could have put the company out of business before some could get sick.