'Monsanto Protection Act' slips silently through US Congress

[ocsdor]

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[zippy23]

What's the difference between genetically modified (frankenfood) and selective breeding to get the best wheat, corn, soy beans, sheep, horses, cows, with the best properties. One works alot faster. Certainly these GM foods need to be studied in humans to ensure that the gene for endo Roundup in grains does not make humans sick.

The whole issue is that NO ONE CAN SUE THEM FOR MAKING PEOPLE SICK, and its passed through gov't. So the gov't just exempted the company from any wrong doing. THIS IS THE REAL ISSUE

 

[level.eleven]

The whole issue is that NO ONE CAN SUE THEM FOR MAKING PEOPLE SICK, and its passed through gov't. So the gov't just exempted the company from any wrong doing. THIS IS THE REAL ISSUE

Prove it. And please, don't post a Soviet newscast or some hippy-dippy blog.

 

[Hoosierkav]

If you read Monsanto's letter to Congress, supporting the bill (which, IMO, if the bill is so good, there doesn't need to be such passion behind it from industry), and then reread the bill, I can see how it does provide the producer with a level of ability to continue to grow/sell/produce a product which is under scrutiny.

In the absence of someone who is able to decipher the legislation and say that it does not provide Monsanto such relief, I think it is a safe bet to say that the watchdogs are correct...

 

[Walken]

I don't blame them for going after protection. The truth that GMOs don't make you sick never got in the way of a good lawsuit.

Do you guys complain when the gun companies seek protection from lawsuits? You logically can't blame S&W for gun violence, but that wouldn't stop some John Edwards type from fooling some sympathetic jurors in the right venue.

Genetically modified organisms are a god-send. They are good science that are a part of ensuring the world food supply. I don't know how to begin counting the lives it has saved in poor countries.

 

[Prometheus]

Do you guys complain when the gun companies seek protection from lawsuits? You logically can't blame S&W for gun violence, but that wouldn't stop some John Edwards type from fooling some sympathetic jurors in the right venue.

If S&W built products that functioned not as intended, i.e. they exploded when fired, then absolutely they should be sued.

That is a ridiculous comparison walken and you know it.

 

[Walken]

If S&W built products that functioned not as intended, i.e. they exploded when fired, then absolutely they should be sued.

That is a ridiculous comparison walken and you know it.

It's pretty easy to see the causal link between your missing finger and a smoking gun. That's why they call it a smoking gun...

When someone gets cancer or autism or diabetes and points to GMO or vaccines or power lines the link isn't that easy. Cigarettes and Lung Cancer? Yes. Many studies have proven it.

No link between GMOs and illness has been found. There is a link between GMOs and fear. There is a link between fear and large jury settlements.

Monsanto doesn't deserve unique legal protections, but in the absence of broader legal reforms that would prevent frivolous lawsuits, I don't blame them for seeking protection.

Most of this "frankenfood" hysteria has been left to the Europeans. I hope it doesn't become widespread over here.
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By the way, anyone who opposes GMOs by calling them "frankenfoods" is actually casting themselves as the ignorant villager wielding pitchforks and torches. Seems appropriate.

 

[indyjack]

Prove it. And please, don't post a Soviet newscast or some hippy-dippy blog.

the word Soviet means "rule by council". the majority of our politicians and prominent main-stream media members are ALL members of The Council on Foreign Relations, and have been for quite some time... so by definition the main stream is actually the "soviet broadcast", and our government is actually a "soviet" one, whether you're comfortable with it or not. please learn what words mean, instead of adhering to the common MISconceptions of what they mean, or making up your own definition... (example: "well... that's what it means to me!) if we can't even agree on language, we'll never accomplish anything...

 

[ZombieApocolypse]

Prove it. And please, don't post a Soviet newscast or some hippy-dippy blog.

Better yet .... prove he's wrong. Im sure there are many cases of Monsanto comeing up short and losing, im just having a hard time thinking of them.

This ruling will definately make it even more difficult to make monsanto held accountable for their product

 

[Magnum]

 

[jmemmert]

Although I am not a fan of Monsanto, you have to realize that without GMO corn and soybeans, yields would be far far smaller worldwide, meaning even more starving people and higher food prices. Also, food grade corn and soybeans are typically non GMO. GMO corn is fed to animals and ethanol plants.

Calm down.

 

[wagyu52]

Yes, and look how incredibly fragile are some thoroughbreds.

All this selective breeding and inbreeding makes for some genetic anomalies.


Any dog owner can tell you that mutts are generally the most hardy dogs.

All of your analogies are the complete opposite. An average horse could never withstand the punishment a race horse takes. Selective breeding is used to remove genetic abnormalities and undesired traits, inbreeding is used to make purebreds and full bloods for selective breeding. Selective breeding has been in use since man domesticated animals and plants.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

All of your analogies are the complete opposite. An average horse could never withstand the punishment a race horse takes. Selective breeding is used to remove genetic abnormalities and undesired traits, inbreeding is used to make purebreds and full bloods for selective breeding. Selective breeding has been in use since man domesticated animals and plants.

Be careful there. Selective breeding is done to basically speed up and fine-tune evolution. Race horses are selectively bred to run fast while they are young. If that breeding also produces an animal that must have special food or care, that's ok, as long as the horse runs really fast for the prescribed distance.

Race horses are not intrinsically "better" than average horses. They may not be as able to stay healthy with less care, to do as much work for as many productive years, as able to withstand the elements, or to reproduce effectively. But they can run really fast.

 

[BigBoxaJunk]

I don't see the danger of GMO foods, and I suspect that they are among the lesser of our food worries.

I'm more concerned about herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, acaricides, food processing aids (like ammonia sterilization - pink slime), fertilizers, food preservatives, additives, and packaging.

I think that at some point (maybe sooner than you think), our biggest concern with food will be that there isn't enough.

 

[Streck-Fu]

I don't blame them for going after protection. The truth that GMOs don't make you sick never got in the way of a good lawsuit.

Do you guys complain when the gun companies seek protection from lawsuits? You logically can't blame S&W for gun violence, but that wouldn't stop some John Edwards type from fooling some sympathetic jurors in the right venue.

Genetically modified organisms are a god-send. They are good science that are a part of ensuring the world food supply. I don't know how to begin counting the lives it has saved in poor countries.

This....GMOs have and are providing good food to more people all over the world that they would not have other wise.

While I support ending agricultural subsidies to control supply and pricing, GMOs are not a problem nor risk. They have been around for sol ong with zero documented ill effects.

This ranks right up there with the vaccine myth.

 

[CountryBoy1981]

I don't blame them for going after protection. The truth that GMOs don't make you sick never got in the way of a good lawsuit.

Do you guys complain when the gun companies seek protection from lawsuits? You logically can't blame S&W for gun violence, but that wouldn't stop some John Edwards type from fooling some sympathetic jurors in the right venue.

Genetically modified organisms are a god-send. They are good science that are a part of ensuring the world food supply. I don't know how to begin counting the lives it has saved in poor countries.

The protection for firearm manufacturers' is that it is the user, the holder of the firearm that is the evil doer, not the firearm itself. The case is opposite with Monsanto. With Monsanto, it doesn't matter who the end user is, the farmer is not an evil doer by planting the seed (actually most farmers' hands are almost forced to now).

The potential evil doer is the manufacturer of the GMO which as the potential to cause diseases in the end user. Do you know the effects of humans eating GMO's over a 50 year period? Could this potentially cause cancer or other diseases? The facts are that we do not know the long term health effects of consuming GMO's. I am not saying that they are unsafe, nor am I saying that they are safe; I am only saying we do not know if long term consumption is safe. What this bill has done is basically given Monsanto protection from unknown long-term health effects.

 

[Sticks]

They should be required to add "GMO" or "No GMO" to the label. Let the "markets decide".

 

[ZombieApocolypse]

I don't see the danger of GMO foods, and I suspect that they are among the lesser of our food worries.

I'm more concerned about herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, acaricides, food processing aids (like ammonia sterilization - pink slime), fertilizers, food preservatives, additives, and packaging.

I think that at some point (maybe sooner than you think), our biggest concern with food will be that there isn't enough.

:scratches head: You do realize that herbicides and pesticides are being put into the dna of some GM seed stock yes?

 

[rambone]

This ranks right up there with the vaccine myth.

You do realize that vaccines do have documented side effects? Including seizures, brain damage, paralysis, and death.

 

[CountryBoy1981]

You do realize that vaccines do have documented side effects? Including seizures, brain damage, paralysis, and death.

Vaccines also usually contain aluminum (before this it was mercury) as a stabilizer. You also aren't supposed to drink directly out of aluminum cans (they contain a plastic liner so the aluminum doesn't leach). Where does the shot go? Directly into the blood stream and throughout your body; a much more direct path for the aluminum than for you drinking out of an aluminum can.

Common substances found in vaccines include

Aluminum gels or salts of aluminum which are added as adjuvants to help the vaccine stimulate a better response. Adjuvants help promote an earlier, more potent response, and more persistent immune response to the vaccine.

Vaccines: Vac-Gen/Additives in Vaccines Fact Sheet