Ever wonder why cookies are cheaper than carrots, grape soda cheaper than grapes, and potato chips cheaper than potatoes?
It's because of big agribusiness subsidies, which have artificially lowered the cost of high-calorie, high fat foods at the expense of $245 billion taxpayer dollars. While unhealthy food prices continue to drop, fruits and vegetable prices have risen 40 percent in the last decade. It's no wonder we're struggling with childhood obesity - taxpayers are underwriting the prices that give school meal programs no other choice. As budget talks continue, we need to cut the fat by cutting subsidies that fund unhealthy food. Despite over $90 million in lobbying by industrial agribusiness, our very own Rep. Jeff Flake has been bold enough to introduce the REAPS Act, which would eliminate many of these subsidies. I applaud this step and encourage other representatives to stand up for our health and wallets as well.
Madeline Page, Tucson
manini posted at 5:23 am on Sat, Jul 23, 2011.
Ummm, Genetically Modified Food (GMA) are also being introduced into the U.S. + global food chain which can have latent, untested health effects on the human body...i.e., "mad_cow disease," CAWS wasting diseases in game-farm elk & deer, farmed salmon & other fish species, etc. BTW, Rep. Jeff Flake (R, AZ) was also for granting Amnesty to millions of illegal aliens, like U.S. Senator Juan "McAmnesty" McCain in 2007-2008 with then-U.S. Prez GWB....I wonder if he's changed his position on this Illegal_Immigration issue?
RationalHuman posted at 7:06 am on Sat, Jul 23, 2011.
I understand the point you are making Madeline, but your example:
"Ever wonder why cookies are cheaper than carrots, grape soda cheaper than grapes, and potato chips cheaper than potatoes?"
You've got the grape soda/grapes correct, but the other two? I can buy 4 bags of carrots for the price of one box of cookies, and 3 10lb bags of potatoes for the price of i 16oz bag of chips.
Perhaps try shopping at Fry's? ;)
Leon Ceniceros posted at 10:52 am on Sat, Jul 23, 2011.
Enough with all the "Letters to the Editor"...fibs....maybe change the name to "Letters to the Mesa Temple President".
Congressman Jeff Flake is being "pushed" as the Mormon ..."Man from La Mancha"...fighting the good fight against ..."Corrupt Corporate America = the Business Lobbies"..........what a load of baloney.
Did you ever see....Congressman Jeff Flake....leading the fight against.... FUNDAMENTALIST "MORMON"....POLIGAMY...14-16 YEAR OLD YOUNG GIRLS FORCED TO BE THE 5TH, 6TH...10TH WIVES OF A ......50YEAR OLD MAN IN NORTHERN ARIZONA OR SOUTHERN UTAH..........THE ANSWER IS ................"N.O.".
INSTEAD CONGRESSMAN JEFF FLAKE AND THE MOST "LEFT-WING LIBERAL DEMOCRAT CONGRESSMAN FROM OBAMA'S CHICAGO...CONGRESSMAN LUIS V. GUTIERREZ ..........CO-AUTHORED.....H.R. 1645. THE SO-CALLED ..."S.T.R.I.V.E. ACT" ..(Security Throught Regularized Immigration and a Vibrant Economy).
THIS ACT IF IT HAD BEEN PASSED BACK IN 2007 (THANK GOODNESS REPUBLICAN GEORGE BUSH WAS STILL PRESIDENT AND WOULD HAVE VETOED IT IF IT WOULD HAVE PASSED THE HOUSE AND SENATE ...WHICH IT DIDN'T)............WOULD HAVE GIVEN MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM MEXICO, HONDURAS, EL SALVADOR, GUATAMALA AND POINTS SOUTH...........AND.....THEIR FAMILIES....YES, FOLKS ...THEIR FAMILIES WOULD HAVE BEEN GIVEN.........AMERICAN CITIZENSHIP....WITH VERY FEW RESTRICTIONS.
CAN YOU IMAGINE WHAT OUR RECESSION/DEPRESSION WOULD HAVE BEEN LIKE WITH AN ADDITIONAL............20 MILLION ILLEGAL ALIENS ...BECOMING AMERICAN CITIZENS .
GOING ON SOCIAL SECURITY
GOING ON WELFARE
GOING ON HUD
GOING ON SECTION-8 FREE HOUSING
GOING ON FOOD STAMPS
GOING ON MEDICARE
GOING ON MEDICAID
GOING INTO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM
JEFF FLAKE AND HIS DEMOCRAT "ULTRA-LEFTWING PRO-OBAMA..PRO-ILLEGAL ALIEN AMNESTY....CO-SPONSOR ....WOULD ......BANKRUPT AMERICA BY THE ...........S.T.R.I.V.E. ACT.
LinMesa posted at 12:36 pm on Sat, Jul 23, 2011.
Okay Leon, so you're saying that people have to become American citizens to partake of all the benefits you mentioned. Then how do you explain the views expressed that the undocumented immigrants have cost our country so much money?? And, as I'm sure you know, the money that they pay into SS is never recovered by them. So they are responsible for helping the SS account, which is helping the citizens. Also paying sales tax like everyone else. I imagine that the largest cost would be their transportation back to their country by our government.
Leon Ceniceros posted at 7:59 pm on Sat, Jul 23, 2011.
Dear LinMesa,
Most of the ..........ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM MEXICO AND POINTS SOUTH....that work in Arizona are paid under the table. In other words....they is no ...Social Security Tax paid for their labor. As for local Arizona Sales tax it is 6.6 cents on the dollar and if these ...ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM MEXICO AND POINTS SOUTH....do manage to steal someone's identity and get a job........7.65 cents on the dollars is put in the Social Security "kitty". The....ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM MEXICO AND POINTS SOUTH....get to keep .....92.35 cents on the dollar.
Too bad that ..."innocent...real Americans who love this Country are having their identities stolen by the thousands every single day".
IF THERE WAS ANY JUSTICE IN THIS CRAZY WORLD...........INSTEAD OF THESE "REAL AMERICANS"....IT WOULD BE THE ...LIBERALS...THE PROGRESSIVES...AND THE DEMOCRATS WHO ...............S.U.P.P.O.R.T......AMNESTY FOR THESE ILLEGAL ALIENS FROM MEXICO AND POINTS SOUTH...............[wink]
LinMesa posted at 8:38 pm on Sat, Jul 23, 2011.
Leon, have you ever considered using real facts for your comments? I give you this:
www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/02/AR2010090202673.html
Dale Whiting posted at 9:44 pm on Sat, Jul 23, 2011.
LinMesa,
Leon would not be Leon if he used real, genuine facts!
For now, let's get back on topic!
Time to end the Ethanol Subsidy. No sense subsidizing the growing of corn to make fuel. We need ethanol to add a bit of oxigen to our fuel, but no more than about 20%. Let the market decide what corn growing is forth. That would be the free market way of operating. But Iowa Neo-con politicians will have a fit when we attack that subsidy. So beware!
AmericanPatriot posted at 4:42 pm on Sun, Jul 24, 2011.
LinMesa and Dale use only facts to help Mexicans steal the American dream. How honest of you both.
Dale Whiting posted at 7:01 pm on Mon, Jul 25, 2011.
What you been smoking lately, AmericanPatriot?
Dale Whiting posted at 7:02 pm on Mon, Jul 25, 2011.
Dear Senator McCain and Representative Flake,
Let me be blunt and perhaps a bit overly simplistic. If the debt ceiling is not extended now to a point in time beyond 2012, if we go into default any time between now and 2013, if the US bond rating drops below AAA, I will not support either of you for any elected office above dog catcher.
Got it?