December 17, 2008

Hail Vilsack, King of Big Corn

Reuters is reporting that Obama has picked Vilsack as agriculture secretary. The former Iowa Governer, frequent traveller on Monsanto's jet, pharma and biofuel corn supporter and the origin of the seed pre-emption bill of 2005 "The law that strips local government’s right to regulate genetically engineered seed". source
In Obama`s words `` To lead a Department of Agriculture that helps unlock the potential of a 21st century agricultural economy, I can think of no one better than Tom Vilsack. As governor of one of our most abundant farm states, he led with vision, promoting biotech to strengthen our farmers in fostering an agricultural economy of the future that not only grows the food we eat, but the energy that we use. Tom understands that the solution to our energy crisis will be found not in oilfields abroad, but in our farm fields here at home. That's the kind of leader I want in my Cabinet.`` Change indeed.


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is not encouraging news regarding the direction of Obama's thinking. Vilsack's corporate buddies must be beside themselves with joy.

anne said...

Yes I`m sure they`re thrilled and had a hand in it to boot. There was an article that quoted them gushing....but I can`t find it now.
But as I was searching, came across the story of Obama`s pick for pastor to say the prayer at his inaugoration:

"My blood pressure is really high right now," said Rev. Chuck Currie, minister at Parkrose Community United Church of Christ in Portland, Oregon. "Rick Warren ... is also very established in the religious right and his position on social issues like gay rights, stem cell research and women's rights are all out of the mainstream and are very much opposed to the progressive agenda that Obama ran on. I think that he is very much the wrong person to put on the stage with the president that day."

This president elect doesn`t seem to be the man people voted for!

Anonymous said...

I heard the explanation today that Obama’s “handlers” are providing to the press for his choice of Rick Warren. Apparently Obama wants to be “inclusive” so that means accepting there is a diversity of views he doesn’t necessarily entirely agree with because he is looking for those areas where there is agreement. Obama agrees with Rick Warren’s positions on poverty and AIDS so he believes that is enough of a connection to warrant his choice. And that is admirable in one respect but if it means Obama will sit on a fencepost over those issues where they disagree then we’ll soon know that he doesn’t have the courage to walk the talk.