Mad Cow Is Tough for Bush* Administration

[kskiska]

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration faces a delicate balancing act in dealing with the mad cow case — protecting the health of consumers while looking out for the economic strength of the beef industry.

Political opponents, consumers and industry leaders are watching closely how he handles the situation. The administration's actions will resonate in farm states that could be crucial in a close presidential race.

"We want the government to make science-based decisions, not decisions based on emotion and distortion," said Dee Likes, executive vice president of the Kansas Livestock Association. Beef is the largest industry in Kansas, so any missteps by government officials could severely hurt the state's economy.

While the rural, more conservative states in the nation's Farm Belt are solid Republican, some like Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin are competitive swing states.

more…
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=536&e=2&u=/ap/20031226/ap_on_go_pr_wh/mad_cow_politics

[mbperrin]

1. Based on science? OK. Beef $ for *Bush = $ for *Bush.

Death and dying? Who in the *Bush world cares?

Get those bucks!

[Cocoa]

2. yeah, I don't think it'll be too "tough"

that sounds like an easy one for Bush.

Rove and the "liberal media" will do their magic and make Bush's kowtowing to industry look like it's only way to go.

[TankLV]

6. Just like they did with Yucca Mountain!

"Based on science"

Yeah Right!

[MisterP]

7. "science not emotion" is code-speak

for minimizing regulations on pollution, toxins, recombinants, environmental despoliation, etc., etc.

[peterh]

13. Science??? Uhhh, how ‘bout faith-based science….

DJ Despite Mad Cow Scare, Bush To Continue Eating Beef

WASHINGTON (AP)--Despite the first-ever case of mad cow disease in the U.S.,
President George W. Bush will continue to eat beef, a White House spokesman said
Friday.

:eyes:

[schultzee]

3. There was a mad cow in Texas a few years ago....not much press

either. It concerned me because I was there when they found the cow. God knows how many were slaughtered and sold. This is probably the tip of a huge iceberg.

[oldcoot]

4. How many years ago?

In other words, who was the governor of Texas when they found the cow?

[54anickel]

8. Looks like '97 when they touted evidence against mad cow in Texas

http://agnews.tamu.edu/dailynews/stories/ANSC/Jun2497a.htm

on edit add:

And again in 01
http://www.organicconsumers.org/meat/texasquarantine.cfm

[oldcoot]

11. Thanks

You answered my question.

[bobthedrummer]

5. I agree.

This goes way back too.

[Media_Lies_Daily]

9. "Science and reasoning"?? Is that why we test one in one million...

...heads of cattle for Mad Cow Disease AFTER they're dead??

Shouldn't we be testing the animals on a much more frequent basis long before they have a chance to get into the food supply?

[cliss]

10. Well, which to choose?

Bushco has the Beef Industry on the one hand, and millions of beef consumers on the other.

One side will be hurt financially, the other side might end up paying with their lives. Which will be the least damaging to Bushco? They are debating this very issue as we sit here. You better believe that's the only factor they look at.

I'm willing to bet a pot roast they will side with the beef industry. They will downplay the risks and encourage people to keep eating meat. They will try to shift the focus to some govt. agency to let them take the heat and make any public statements.

Bush will try not to say anything about it, if possible. Saying something either way is risky for him.

I'm SO glad I gave up eating meat a few years ago, just for this very reason.

[ConcernedCanuk]

12. Jus thank gawd JR has a PIG farm !!

.
.
.

[depakid]

14. Why do I CONSTANTLY have to hear quotes from industry?

or their lobbiests and trade associations? THEY are the cause of the problem in the first place- directly and indirectly, yet damn near every article I read or story I see or hear just bends over backwards to allow them to get their quotes (or just as often their propaganda points) in. It's downright insulting to our intelligence as well as harmful to the public health.

"Dee Likes, executive vice president of the Kansas Livestock Association," has absolutely NO INTEREST WHATSOEVER in making decisions based on science. More likely, she's fought science and evidence based decisions and regulation all her professional life. Yet they trot these people out one after another, over and over, as if they had some kind of credibility beyond their own narrow and frequently misguided agenda.

It seems to me that a few more exposes on their practices, their politics and the inefficient and ineffective manner of multiple agency regulation that's resulted from it would be in order. Maybe a few tough questions asked of government officials. What do they actually do, anyway? How could this happpen? Why are whole communities' economic bases now at risk? Inquiring minds want to know.

[rocktivity]

15. Maybe they need to trot out Sasha Cohen again

Remember that heartwarming Seattle Winter Olympics story about how she just happened to end up standing next to the Pretzel-Dunce, pulled out a cell phone, called her mom, and asked him to say hello? At least, it was heartwarming until you wondered how, in this age of 9/11, someone the Pretzel-Dunce didn't know could stand next to him, produce a electronic device, and deploy it. Why wasn't she wrestled to the ground?

DU soon came up with the answer: The Pretzel-Dunce DID know Sasha. He had met with the beef lobby earlier that day, and she had just signed on as their spokes-teenybopper. Serves her right that she fell down twice.

rocknation

[pinto]

17. fell down twice? n/t

[bicentennial_baby]

18. She's a figure skater

[pinto]

19. I know... bad mad cow joke.....

[Blaze Diem]

16. Bush M.O....first ya have to CREATE a national crisis....

then ya appoint a commission (of cronies) to "investigate." Then ya order all future beef raised and slaughtered in government farms ONLY. Ya know, where they can be "properly monitered" for safety. This eliminates yet another free enterprise, now enjoyed by smaller cattle ranchers and dairy farms. Said profits from once, individual land owners, will be transferred to the highest corporate(non-bidder), government only cattle megafarm. Hmmmmm, lets see, who might the largest Republican campaign donor, and owner of the largest feed lots and slaughterhouses be...

Bush M.O....ala Iraq war and Haliburton.

Just a theory...Blaze

[Malva Zebrina]

20. it's so tough for Bush that he goes on vacation

and will see to it, like everyting else that is evil in his administration that this threat to the health of his own people, goes down the memory hole. He will try to cover it up--wanna bet?

[Bandit]

21. "We want the government to make science-based decisions,"

Not like they have done so far to date. Science based decisions are not part of this cabal. They make their own science. They say it so it must be true. Just ask Rush and FOX news.