Global Issues and Pet Food
What has it been, a week now since the poison pet food story broke? I haven’t been paying much attention for anyone I know who has a pet is smart enough and alert enough to provide all the protection the little beggars need. So the pet and food angle is not the part that is getting my attention. The implications for things political in the range of foreign policy, the global economy and, in general, the lack of concern about potential disasters in light of the terror factor ushered in by 9/11 plus related events.
And I don’t care what anyone else’s list of top national priorities is. It is obvious what the Congress has for priorities and the Whitehoue too just by listening to the lacking news. Political games and Iraq are about it. A favorite reminder of mine to readers is my simple Congress Counter. This session, the 100 hour agenda Congress has enacted into law 12 items as of yesterday’s monitoring. The majority of the items are sentimental resolutions plus a little housekeeping, a small business break extension or two and one item from the famous 100 hour agenda.
Rather than Congress and the Whitehouse plus the public at large arguing about the Iraq war, we should all be focusing on its successful completion. If, as a nation, we would have spent half the effort staying on point with winning the war and helping Iraqis it would be successfully completed already and all involved would be much happier. And that would be true regardless of what side of the needless argument you are on.
The national priorities should be topped with national defense and security. Call it Homeland Security if you like but that sounds more like a marketing campaign than what it is. National security is was and is good enough. Another thing we could do is quit changing things that work. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Next, related to national defense and security is border control, immigration and other specific items all related to category number one, national defense and national security. If this sounds repetitive, it is, for too many people apparently can’t remember this long enough to stay focused. Secure the country and protect the nation as the first priority for if we fail at this the other priorities will be moot points. Without a nation there are no national priorities.
If we can ever stop arguing and get the above priorities under control, then the next priority is economic. Effective management of public and private sector economic considerations is paramount once national security is controlled. A healthy economy with profitable business, well paid workers, reasonable consumption and savings, proper oversight by the government with adequate revenue and moderate taxation will provide a healthy country.
Once that is solved we can tackle health and education. Along with the previously mentioned priorities, health and education round out the basic needs for all Americans. Healthcare is out of control and so is education. We can’t seem to spend enough on either to solve the problems of even one of them. So spending more is not the answer. With over 45 million uninsured citizens and the cost of healthcare rising well above inflation each year it is obvious the system is broken and not working well enough to be referred to as healthcare.
Education is equally pathetic. The only constant in education mirrors the problem with healthcare. Each year we spend more on it and fall further behind. When compared with other students internationally the United States fails miserably each year. Both of these situations have been unacceptable for years and we continue to do nothing about them. The public is as guilty as the government for this failure. If we raised half as much outrage over these issues as we do about abortion, assisted suicide, stem cell research or prayer in the schools and students freedom of speech we might actually begin to fix all of them.
So you can take your global economy and your pet food poison and forget about competing. Because at the rate we are failing and falling behind we won’t even be in the game if we don’t soon cure what ails us. That will require all of us getting back to basics and reexamining in what order we plan to address the most critical issues. If everyone maintains a passionate and unrelenting stand on a single issue at the expense of all others the chances of success are diminished.
One of our top single issues at MoreWhat.com is immigration. It would be acceptable to us if one part of the immigration problem was solved first and the others put on hold temporarily. Border control is the one. If we just had effectively controlled borders it is possible the immigration problem would not get worse. If that would make illegal immigration static, not getting better or worse, that would be acceptable for a time. If everyone who has a single issue at the top of their list would find a similar scenario to accept we could solve more problems than we currently are.
This entire commentary developed from tainted pet food and wheat from China sprayed with rodentcide that is illegal here. Yes, this is a global community loosely speaking. The planet Earth is global, go figure. It is the way we are global that makes little sense as is the way we solve problems.
Have a pleasant weekend,
Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com
Tainted Chinese wheat behind US pet poisonings: report
Fri Mar 23, 12:07 PM ET
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Investigators have reportedly found a rodent-killing chemical sprayed on imported Chinese wheat in the tainted pet food that has killed several animals in the US and Canada.“A source close to the investigation tells ABC News that the rodenticide, which the source says is illegal to use in the United States, was on wheat that was imported from China and used by Menu Foods in nearly 100 brands of dog and cat food,” the US network said in its website.
Trackposted to Outside the Beltway, Perri Nelson’s Website, The Virtuous Republic, Shadowscope, Stuck On Stupid, The Amboy Times, Pursuing Holiness, third world county, Woman Honor Thyself, stikNstein… has no mercy, The Uncooperative Blogger, Pirate’s Cove, The Pink Flamingo, LaTogaStrappata®, Right Voices, Right Pundits, The Random Yak, 123beta, Maggie’s Notebook, Adam’s Blog, basil’s blog, Phastidio.net, Cao’s Blog, The Bullwinkle Blog, Conservative Cat, Conservative Thoughts, LaTogaStrappata®, sissunchi, Faultline USA, Allie Is Wired, The World According to Carl, CORSARI D’ITALIA, High Desert Wanderer, and Gone Hollywood, thanks to Linkfest Haven Deluxe.
March 24th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
It seems so simple that you would think everyone would agree with your fine analysis. Because it makes so much sense, national security first, which includes immigration - enforcing laws and rules we already have; holding the system accountable for education - which means knowing whether or not your child is learning, and if not, see to it that he/she does - no matter what; then this country can go forward at lightening speed with more than a fair measure of credibility.
Government spending, I think, has only one way to cure itself - no add-ons to any bill. Yes, it will clog the productive pipeline
- the other way to look at it is, you and I will not be paying for a bridge to nowhere, or a heated sidewalk, or - spinach. I can live without spinach until the growers figure out how do it without endangering the public. A highway bill should be a highway bill, etc. Highways and help with national disasters and healthcare - that’s about all the government should be involved in, in my opinion.
Healthcare is the most difficult. People do not want to save for medical emergencies (and often could not save enough anyway) and pharmaceuticlas need need big quarterly earnings and money for research. They also must be ready for the lawsuits coming their way. People still smoke and kids need treatment for drugs. - even though they shouldn’t. We live longer and need more - some need more long before they have lived longer.
Great post.
Maggie
Maggie’s Notebook
March 25th, 2007 at 4:03 am
If anyone checks the websites of the two major parties, or their House, Senate and Caucus or Conference web presence, issues are grouped poorly and more of a sound bite or ‘web’ bite like a slogan or campaign piece. They need to be guided by citizens to organize their work properly and not abuse those tools for governing that would be useful and beneficial if applied correctly. No piece of legislation should be used as a political weapon or bogged down and rendered pointless with the submission of more than one hundred amendments.
Pork, earmarks, whatever they’re called, a ripoff by any other name smells as foul. Those of us attempting to engage the process from the disadvantage of little power or influence must adopt a strategy to put the one weapon we have politicians can’t live without……the vote.
Too many people dismiss that power. All one need do is remember for example the former strength of organized labor or the current power of NEA to understand it is still viable. Over the remainder of 2007, it would be helpful if all of us blogging could work to that end.
Choosing a legislative target like the reported intention of some in Congress to pass immigration amnesty before the August recess would be a noble endeavor. Hope someone reads this and suggests an opening initiative or idea.
Thanks again Maggie. Your views are always welcome.
March 25th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Another Open Trackback Weekend…
Wow, this week passed quickly! Time for another open trackback weekend, so have at it….