Food labeling failure
Many Mainers were dismayed by the recent passing of HR 1599, Safe and Accurate Food Labeling Act of 2015, in the House. This goes against the wishes of what 90 percent of Americans want — the right to know what is in the food we eat and feed our families.
It was alarming to see the tremendous amount of lobbying and money spent by big food and biotech companies promoting this bill. Corporations such as Coca-Cola, Monsanto, Kraft Foods and others are spending millions to deny Americans the right to know if their food is genetically engineered.
If HR 1599 passes in the Senate and is signed into law, it will overturn GMO labeling laws passed in three different states, including Maine. It raises an important question: Who gets to write the laws in this country? American citizens or corporations with deep pockets?
Independent studies show that GMO labeling will not raise food costs as the biotech lobby likes to claim it will. Creating new organisms through genetic engineering comes with the basic responsibility of full disclosure and transparency. People have a right to know how their food is produced, especially when it is derived from new technologies whose long-term effects are not yet fully understood.
HR 1599 will soon be voted on in the Senate. It’s time to pick up the phone and call Sens. Susan Collins and Angus King to tell them to listen to the voices of American citizens over those of corporate lobbyists. We deserve to know what’s in our food. Our senators should vote no on HR 1599.
Aube Giroux
Lincolnville
LePage, please quit
Gov. Paul LePage was not elected by a majority of citizens because of two three-way races. He has embarrassed our state continuously with his bullying ways and mouth. He has blatantly turned his back on the health of 84,000 Mainers because he refused Medicaid expansion for political reasons only. If he and his family weren’t covered, would he still have left $3 billion in available health funds unused?
He has deliberately and repeatedly abused his power for spite and vengeance against those who defy him. LePage can no longer govern because even some of his own party members have had it with him and recognize that his is a mean, tantrum-throwing, callous, vindictive man with absolutely no leadership ability.
He denies global warming and could care less about the environment. He is obsessed with and has launched an expensive, hysterical search for welfare cheaters and found what? LePage does not support public education or educators in our state. He has humiliated Maine by being repeatedly named “Worst (or Craziest) Governor in the Country” by respected national media.
It will take years to recover from the damage he has done to our state. He has asked those of us who want him to quit to tell him. OK, please quit!
Carol Selsberg
Eliot
Trump 2016!
Donald Trump has been called a loud mouth and arrogant. If that’s what it takes to get our politicians in Congress to sit up and take notice — that the people in America are darn tired of the lack of leadership — then I’m all for Trump for president in 2016.
We are on a downhill slide here in America. Our young people are in a quandary as to the direction of their lives and the direction of this country. Our leaders in Washington are ignoring unemployment, drugs, a liveable wage, border issues and manufacturing losses. Instead of downsizing our military, we need to build it up. Russia, China and the Middle East are seeing the U.S. as becoming weaker.
Make America great again! I like the sound of that.
Bonnie Lane
Sherman