quote:

ORIGINAL: SugarMyChurro

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sinergy
The only thing the Republican controlled Congress actually tried to oversee for years was Clinton's sex life.

This is not really the Dipshit In Chief's responsibility, it is, however, Congress'.

This is a digression, so I'll keep it brief: while congress may pursue oversight as a part of its legislative function, it is absolutely the responsibility of the executive to enforce the laws as enacted. Obviously, there are some shared functions in both creating laws and enforcing them.

Just sayin'...

quote:

ORIGINAL: AquaticSub

Just more evidence to buy local and check out the farmer's killing area before buying the meat.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Owner59

Another example of how the republicans/Bush has failed the US.

So it takes the F`n Humane Society to do the government`s job?


"The action came nearly three weeks after the Humane Society of the United States released a video showing workers at the plant using forklifts and water hoses, among other methods, to rouse cattle too weak to walk. In addition to issues of animal cruelty, the video raised questions about whether so-called downer cattle were entering the food chain in violation of federal regulations.
Although the Humane Society said at least four non-ambulatory cattle had been slaughtered for food, the USDA had repeatedly said it had no such evidence. On Sunday, federal officials said for the first time that they had evidence such cattle from Hallmark had been processed for food."

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/02/18/7127/

and

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-beef18feb18,1,3896598,full.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

quote:

ORIGINAL: kittinSol

You actually make a lot of sense. Meat... it's cheaper than potatoes. What's up with that? There's something seriously fucked up when we can buy what was a living creature for less money per pound than a few Russets. If we saw meat for the big deal it is, we wouldn't take it for granted on our dinner plates.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Archer
I agree there needs to be inspections I just believe that the Insurance companies would do a better job than the government.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sinergy
although 9/11 caused Congress to cede much of their power to the Executive.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Archer

Having trouble conneting the idea that you dislike and distrust government and yet want to have them keep control of this function.

I am at least being consistent, I agree the problem needs to be fixed but I have more faith in a private enterprize to perform it better and more efficiently than the government would even if funded to the same level.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Owner59

quote:

ORIGINAL: OrionTheWolf

Yeah and imagine how it will be if they are in charge of all of our medical care. More evidence that the government cannot do a good job at much of anything.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Owner59

Another example of how the republicans/Bush has failed the US.

So it takes the F`n Humane Society to do the government`s job?


"The action came nearly three weeks after the Humane Society of the United States released a video showing workers at the plant using forklifts and water hoses, among other methods, to rouse cattle too weak to walk. In addition to issues of animal cruelty, the video raised questions about whether so-called downer cattle were entering the food chain in violation of federal regulations.
Although the Humane Society said at least four non-ambulatory cattle had been slaughtered for food, the USDA had repeatedly said it had no such evidence. On Sunday, federal officials said for the first time that they had evidence such cattle from Hallmark had been processed for food."

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/02/18/7127/

and

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-beef18feb18,1,3896598,full.story?ctrack=1&cset=true

lol well,lol, if you put people who are against government and who say that the gov. is no good in charge of government,then you`re pretty much guarantied to get bad gov.

That`s obvious as realizing rain makes you wet.

Is it any surprise that if you put a beef lobbyist/ex-soon-to-be-again beef industry CEO in charge of checking our meat supply,that you`re going to get these kinds of results?

This is a product of the anti-regulation crowd and an example of what business will do if left un-checked and without scrutiny.

The USDA seal on a steak used to mean something.Now,under Bush it means industry self regulated and good luck.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Sinergy
p.s.  I have to ask, are you wearing Charlie Brown's shirt in your picture?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Owner59

Would you get rid of the Federal Trade Commision?

Enron all day,everyday.

How about the FBI or Center for Disease Control?

Should we scale government back that far?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Archer

That's why I'm saying have the insurance companies handle these inspections. It doesn't pay for them to not do a good job.
I'm banking on the idea that just like UL the motivation of MONEY will make them do a good job.
Insuance companies lose money when there are law suits against their clients. They want to take in premiums and never have to pay out a claim. The easiest way to do that is to inspect and enforce higher standards than the government regulations require.
That's why you see insurance companies promoting things like ISO 9000 Safety Standards, and ISO 14001 Environmental Standards. My solution hinges on the insurance companies being greedy about collecting premiums but not paying claims.
And I doubt anyone can claim that you can't count on greed.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Archer

Read it already Thompson.
Your post do not reflect that statement.

and again you want to paint me with your brush instead of actually listening to what I am saying.
I respond to what you post.


I am and have said in almost every post in this thread FOR INSPECTIONS. maybe the font will get that through.
 
Where were the insurance companies inspectors before there was an FDA?
If they were not effective then why would they be effective now?
 
My issue is with who will do a better job.
If they did not do a good job before there was an FDA why would they be different now?
 
There was also a time when worker health and safety was ignored by companies (oh wow same timeframe as The Jungle)
OSHA was formed in 1971 the FDA was formed in 1930.  The Jungle was written in 1906.
 
 however times have changed and today I can tell you with no uncertainty that Insurance companies catch more saftey violations and have a higher standard of worker safety than OSHA has.
"I am from Missouri"...you know what that means.
 
We needed OSHA and still do to an extent but lets not fool ourselves into thinking that OSHA actually accomplishes more than what the Insurance Companies who write workers compensation insurance do to ensure that accidents happen less often.
I'm not proposing doing away with the FDA, what I am proposing is that if you are interested in getting the results faster and more efficiently pushing for a UL type private group to handle food safety would be better than even a fully funded FDA performing it's own inspections.
Perhaps you might want to stop by Harbor Freight, Wally World or any number of the importers of non UL approved hardware.  If you are injured by one of those products whom do you sue?
 
 
Recalls although ordered by a court are handled by the company Ford recalls its cars, the meat companies recall thier beef, thats currently the way it is done. The FDA orders the recall but they do not issue it because they don't have the records of who bought it.
Are you saying that if there were no OSHA or FDA that these companies would voluntarily recall a defective product?  I know better and so should you.  There have been numerous cases where the government had to threaten legal action to get the company to recall defective merchandise.
 
 
 The private company performs the action of the recall. to carry that further When UL reccomends a recall you better believe companies listen, why? because they know if they want to have product liability insurance they have to play ball with the Underwriters Laboratories. Fail to comply with it and they cancel your insurance, and finding someone else to write the policy is tough when all the companies writting policies have access to the fact that you ignored a UL recall reccomendation.
Yeah right....many companies (especially large ones) opt to self insure.  Check out Smith Tool co. (one of only two companies in the whole world who make rock drilling bits)  they opted to self insure not only for workman's comp but also product liability.  When they collapsed the corporate shell and moved to Texas with a new name guess who got fucked?
 
 
Again I'm counting on the Insurance companies desire not to even have claims filed (See history of Underwriters Laboratories). Rather than stonewalling they would rather never have the accident happen. Huge segment of the industry is Loss Control and that transfers between products. Training loss control specialists for the food industry would be relatively easy and cheap compared to paying out or even fighting it to a draw.
Loss control makes it sound like something different than what it actually is.  Let me guess you work in the insurance industry?  Any one who has ever filed a claim will recognize the load of BS you are peddling.


I'm not saying the meat packers regulate themselves I'm saying have the insurance companies regulate them since they are the ones with the most money to lose. Somehow that difference eludes you.
Maybe this is the story you tell the fourth graders about how the insurance company works but plueeezzzzze this is an adult forum.
 
 
 Much the way that insurance companies are the ones who pushed for seatbelt laws and helmet laws. You don't think the government came up with those laws based on some egalitarian sense of the greater good do you?
That is not the way I remember it.  Perhaps you might want to bring some documentation of this "fact" to the forum.
If this is true why don't the insurance companies give you a discount for wearing a helmet or a seatbelt?
 
 
The government made them laws because the Insurance companies wanted to limit their risks. That exact same greed is what my idea counts on. Easy enough to have the FDA continue to perform inspections augmented by an industry group from the insurance companies who will cover more ground with more efficiency.
As mentioned above ....they did not do it before why would they do it now?