Environment News Service (ENS) — Does this mean we drop to a green or blue alert instead of the perpetual orange?
Over congressional objections, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, FDA, is closing seven of its 13 laboratories across the country, according to documents released today by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, PEER, a national association of employees in natural resources agencies.
The closures will be completed during the next few months, before the new Congress can act to block the shutdowns through the appropriations bill for the next fiscal year, PEER said.
According to briefings of agency staff, facilities in Denver, Detroit, Philadelphia, Kansas City, San Francisco, Winchester, Massachusetts; and San Juan, Puerto Rico will be closed.
These laboratories are often the first line of defense in detecting and combating potential bio-terrorist attacks on foods. In addition, they trace tampering with food and medicines and respond to public health threats, such as E. coli and listeria outbreaks, and support agency compliance inspections and enforcement actions.
No need to worry. I’m confident the dolts in charge of Homeland Impotence have a more-than-adequate supply of paperwork and forms. And that’s all that counts in their tiny minds, anyway.
Why is lately that our Government seems to do the opposite of what is proper or needed.
How did we get so many idiots running departments up there
sheesh I just don’t get it
that is why I am running for the Texas 22nd congressional district seat in 08
more info to come
The FDA has already been reported to have spent a lot of time shredding scientific reports that had been shunted into a “do not act” pile, after the Dems took over congress. This is just more of the same – screw the public if measures to protect the public might get in the way of corporations.
The FDA, let’s see… that’s in the executive branch… now if I can only think of who’s responsible for appointing the executive branch department and agency bosses responsible for policies…
I don’t mean to sound non-alarmist but I never thought this was much of a threat, anyway.
Terrorists love blood and big bangs. They love videos of decapitations. They love bombing bus loads of children. Attacking the food supply just isn’t their style.
DON’T GET ME WRONG — I think there are scads of reasons to keep our food and water safe. I also understand crazies will tamper with stuff (I remember the Tylenol poisoning) but I’m just not convinced this is a Homeland Security thing.
Let homeland security start guarding our ports and inspecting cargo!! What the heck is holding that up? That seems like an obvious insecurity.
Let the FDA watch our food and water.
Re-reading my post – even _I_ misunderstood me!
All I’m saying is this: I think the FDA should inspect our food — just not as a homeland security function.
I think e coli in our burgers is a higher risk than al queda poisoning the water in our cokes.
Why do we need Homeland Security testing our food supply against an Al Qaeda attack when we seem perfectly capable of tainting our own food supply? As usual, we are our own worst enemy.
That’s okay. Maybe these folks can find other jobs. I heard that the TSA was terribly understaffed at the airports. There were only three per paying passenger at those locations. They’ll be able to use their expert training to make sure that none of the passengers carry toothpaste or shampoo containers more than 3oz. on board.
they are pulling every scrap of money OUT of our Government….
These facilities didnt have enough money to pay anyone, so they CLOSED.
#5, Greg,
I totally agree. What many people don’t realize is that the first responders come whether it is a terrorist OR domestic tragedy. Having the best for the later will guarantee the best for the former.
Why is this being done? No money in it for the neo-con supporters.
I hope that Congress holds hearings and holds the morons in charge in contempt of Congress. Even if it means impeachment of the Cabinet Secretaries.
well look at the bright side. if there ever is an attack on the food and water supply we can look forward to lots of handwringing, blue ribbon panels, and over the top reorganizing and oversight.
Talk about beyond counterproductive.
” I am from the government. I am here to help you”
yep…
To all of you , I Like this one ALOT…
for all the money the Gov taxes us for…WHERE is it going…
What are we paying for….WHY???
when corps place water to replace Blood content, in meats, as THEY think they are looseing money from blood loss, and this is OK by the Gov?
By Fruits and vegies, that can only be grown if we ADD all the nuitrients because there are NONE left in the soils…
USA makes more food that is SHIPPEd to other nations, then looking for QUALITY, healthy goods in the USA.
Both President George W. Bush and Congress have proposed more funds to increase FDA laboratory capacity to respond to bio-terrorist attacks. But due to the collapse of the FY 07 budget process, none of those funds were actually delivered to the FDA.
The last paragraph says it all…
#9 Mr Fusion.
Wow… more of the “I” word! Can cabinet secretaries be impeached? That gets beyond my memory from high school civics.
I was never a supporter of putting practically safety and security function under the label of homeland security. I think it was an emotionally-driven impulse after 911 and a mistake.
As likely as another attack from terrorism is (almost inevitable, I think) the likelihood of deaths from non-terrorists problems is much higher: hurricanes, accidental food poisonings, earth quakes, bad medicines, SARS, bird flu, gnats, boils and locus! 😉
I personally think government should have monitoring, early detection and response capabilities which are independent of how the problem is caused.
If you drink lethal water and die, it isn’t going to matter much to you whether it came from al Qaeda or a sewer pipe rupturing into a resevoir.
What matters is that the government is paying attention to the water supply and has the capability to respond immediately and effectively.
#14, Greg,
Yes,
The President, Vice President, and all civil officers may be removed by impeachment. The President, V-P, and Cabinet Secretaries are impeached by the House and tried in the Senate.
see Article Two, Section 4 of the Constitution
Our food supply is already TAINTED….we have hydrogenated oils, canola hexane extracted oil, high fructose corn syrup, GMO. Non-of-which never had any health studies, hell, we don’t even know if the body can tolerate these..and judging by your massive overweightness and weird fat distribution — unbefore seen by anyone, anywhere. We have meat processing plants that couldn’t care less about cleanliness. We have pre-packaged, pre-washed salads because we’re too lazy to wash our salads..and end up with E-COLI! We are programmed to pick up fast food, because we’re all too collectively lazy to cook, or grow our foods, or even visit a local farmers market. We are brainwashed into thinking that “no trans fats” is good, or soy is healthy. Who needs the FDA, we don’t listen to anyone…we just eat whatever we see, especially if we liked the TV commercials.
Meanwhile, we’re all mesmerized by the brain-gluck called modern television programming (who the f*ck cares who the next Idol is, who Trump yells at, or how shockingly frightful fat, bald Dr. Phil can be?). We get news about Britney, Paris, or some recent;y dead, crazy fat broad instead of any international news. Our mass media does not educate, it retardates us.
The government is doing what was recommended in ancient Rome, and in many dictatorships since, to keep the populace twiddling our collective thumbs and too detached and stupid to overthrow the government: keep ’em fat and entertained.
WE HAVE no protection….we’re a nation of asleep sheep. And, the worst thing is that half of you would BLAME THE REPUBLICANS, while the rest would blame the DEMOCRATS… you’re all being dolts!!! Look in the mirror. Everytime you turn on Oprah, or watch ET, everytime you just grab some fast food crap….you are feeding the problem. The problem is US.
Meetsy,
you are getting good at this…
lets ask a question…
Our gov was Based on Checks and balances…Where did they go?
we’ve forced it into our heads, that WE cant do something for nothing, and MONEY will fix everything, andthe MORe you throw at it, the faster/better It is…IT CANT, it wont, and PROVE it.
The old common sense, has Flown out the window.
Involve the people, WITh the gov, DONT isolate them. LET us help this nation WORK. They started this idea that Citisians CANT run the country..
An OLd saying:
“The rich can not rule over the poor, and the Poor can not rule themselves…”
I belieave that NO ONE can rule unless he has been DONE in the pits, shoveling coal, digging ditches, and Looking for his next meal.
Where was your question, ECA?
Where did our checks and balances go? I dunno, the same place that anti-trust laws, banking laws, credit laws, enforcement of immigration quotas (and restrictions on illegal aliens), and consumer protection went.
Where did they go? Maybe it’s time to get rid of LOBBIESTS, “special interest groups” paid for by large corporations, and stop using credit cards, buying crap from Walmart, avoiding processed foods (shop locally grown foods), and start being responsible citizens — and stop calling each other names, and quit bickering about who did what. Otherwise, we’re all more screwed than we are right now..