The topic of this diary isn't sexy, but it's important. And sex sells. So I decided to sex it up a bit with pics of the sexiest liberals I could find. Starting with, of course, Scott Kleeb and Elizabeth Kucinich!
In between sexy pics, you'll find a few action items. Please, please call Congress today! Here are some free numbers (they all get you to the Capitol switchboard):
1 (800) 828 - 0498
1 (800) 614 - 2803
1 (866) 340 - 9281
1 (866) 338 - 1015
1 (877) 851 - 6437
Action Item #1
WHO: The FDA
WHEN: Up until TODAY!!!
WHAT: They are accepting comments on a petition to remove MSG (monosodium glutamate) from the list of ingredients Generally Regarded As Safe (GRAS).
WHY: Because tons of people report health problems from it (including migraines!) and it's in foods from hundreds of food manufacturers, from Campbell's to Heinz, and thousands of restaurants, from Kentucky Fried Chicken to Applebees. (A friend who gets migraines from MSG reports that it is often hidden on ingredient labels under different names so she has to really be careful).
HOW: Go here. To review the petition itself, click on the HTML or PDF icon beside the Petition written by John Erb. To comment, just click on the orange thought bubble to the right of Petition written by John Erb. Fill out the fields on the electronic form, and include your comments supporting the petition. Mention any problems you or your family members have had with the additive Monosodium Glutamate.
Note: If you write a long comment, SAVE your comment into a Word document before clicking "next step" or "submit" or anything. The website has been known to lose people's comments by timing out before!!!
Did you comment? OK, here's your reward (a little something for everyone here):
Yep, that's right. Sharon Stone and Brad Pitt are liberals!
Action Item #2
WHO: The House.
WHAT: They are considering taking some of the $4 mil the farm bill gave Rural Microenterprise Program and using it for other things. This program provides rural entrepreneurs with small loans to help them become economically self-sufficient. Micro-lending has become a very popular concept in developing nations as it helps break the cycle of poverty by giving people the tools they need to start successful businesses.
WHY: They hate America. OK, actually, I have no idea.
YOUR MESSAGE: Please contact Rose DeLauro (D-CT) and Jack Kingston (R-GA) to express your support for keeping funding for the new Rural Micro Program at $4 million for FY2009.
THIS IS EXTRA IMPORTANT IF: Your representative is on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture. That includes:
Democrats
- Rose DeLauro (Chair) (CT)
- Maurice Hinchey (NY)
- Sam Farr (CA)
- Allen Boyd (FL)
- Sanford Bishop (GA)
- Marcy Kaptur (OH)
- Jesse Jackson, Jr. (IL)
- Steven Rothman (NJ)
Republicans
- Jack Kingston (Ranking Member) (GA)
- Tom Latham (IA)
- Jo Ann Emerson (MO)
- Ray LaHood (IL)
- Rodney Alexander (LA>
I've seen these two in person. I don't think anyone will argue with my choice of Sheryl Crow here, but if you have any disagreements with my other choice, those are fighting words! Russ Feingold is one sexy senator!
Action Item #3
WHO: The House and the Senate.
WHEN: Before June 26!
WHAT: The House wants to tie a very bad program (the National Animal ID System... think PATRIOT Act for animals) to the school lunch program in the 2009 Agriculture Appropriations bill. The Senate is likely to go along with this.
WHY: They probably don't realize that NAIS is being used by big factory farms to put the small, sustainable farmers out of business. Probably they've been listening to the big factory farm lobby and believing the bullpucky about how NAIS will improve food safety. More info on NAIS
MESSAGE: My name is __. I am a constituent [or live in your state, if you aren't in their district]. I am calling because the House Agriculture Appropriations subcommittee has inserted language requiring the School Lunch Program to only buy meat from farms registered in the National Animal Identification System. I am against NAIS, and I do not want it to be tied to school lunch programs. NAIS, which tracks live animals, will not improve food safety because most food safety problems start at the slaughterhouse and food processing facilities. Funding for NAIS, particularly any mandatory NAIS, needs to be stopped.
TO THE HOUSE: Ask your representative to contact Rose DeLauro (D-CT) and Jack Kingston (R-GA) and tell them you oppose NAIS.
TO THE SENATE: Ask your senators to tell the Senate Appropriations committee you OPPOSE NAIS and you do not want any language supporting NAIS inserted into the 2009 ag appropriations bill.
THIS IS EXTRA IMPORTANT IF: Your representative is on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture (see the list of its members above) OR if your Senator is on the Senate Appropriations Committee. That includes the following Senators:
Democrats
- Robert Byrd (WV)
- Daniel Inouye (HI)
- Patrick Leahy (VT)
- Tom Harkin (IA)
- Barbara Mikulski (MD)
- Herb Kohl (WI)
- Patty Murray (WA)
- Byron Dorgan (ND)
- Dianne Feinstein (CA)
- Dick Durbin (IL)
- Tim Johnson (SD)
- Mary Landrieu (LA)
- Jack Reed (RI)
- Frank Lautenberg (NJ)
- Ben Nelson (NE)
Republicans
- Thad Cochran (MS)
- Ted Stevens (AK)
- Arlen Specter (PA)
- Pete Domenici (NM)
- Christopher Bond (MO)
- Mitch McConnell (KY)
- Richard Shelby (AL)
- Judd Gregg (NH)
- Robert Bennett (UT)
- Larry Craig (ID)
- Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)
- Sam Brownback (KS)
- Wayne Allart (CO)
- Lamar Alexander (TN)
MORE INFO: (From Farm and Ranch Freedom Alliance)
The bill would require USDA to purchase meat products for the School Lunch Program from livestock premises registered with National Animal Identification System beginning in July 2009. This is a back-door method for mandating NAIS through the power of the purse strings. The bill also provides a total NAIS funding level of $14.5 million or about $4.8 million above 2008.
And of course, Rachel Maddow and John Cusack! (You'll have to admit, our side is better looking!)
Hey! How'd that picture of Pastordan get in there??? Well, he's pretty sexy too :)
Action Item #4
WHO: The House and the Senate.
WHAT: The USDA is cutting funding for its Risk Management Agency's Community Outreach Partnership Programs from $8 million to $2.25 million. They refuse to budge on that unless they receive pressure from Congress. This is a program that directly helps promote local food and small farmers. If the government can find money in its budget to subsidize the freaking oil companies, it should be able to find another $6 million somewhere to pay for one of the rare programs that helps communities, the environment, and Americans' access to healthy local food.
MESSAGE: Please pressure the USDA to restore full funding to its RMA Community Outreach Partnership Program.
Sexy pics for you Republican lurkers:
And for Republicans with a wide stance: