Food prices continue to rise, and the shortage in staple foods is having far-reaching consequences.
Now, the United Nations is getting in on the act, urging nations across the world to increase food production as food riots threaten to destabilize many already unsteady third-world nations.
Why are we having these problems? Today's food shortages are a direct result of the growing demand for ethanol for use as fuel for cars. Ethanol made from corn is in high demand, and the more farmers sell their crops to make biofuels, the less staple foods there are for the rest of the world.
These shortages are even effecting the US, the so-called "Breadbasket of the World." Unfortunately, it will likely take more than a few miffed shoppers to make the people of America wake up and smell the wheat...or lack of wheat.
On top of all of that, the shortage in food staples has driven many manufacturers of processed foods to turn to genetically engineered or altered grains in the name of saving money. With the worries around the world as to the potential side-effects of these engineered foods, this brings up even more concerns as to the true practicality of turning to corn-based ethanol for fuel.
The simple truth of it is that using corn-based ethanol was and is an ill-conceived idea, and has far-reaching side effects that will eventually cause a major backlash. No one can fault farmers for turning to crops that will make them the most money, but we can blame the green movement and the leaders in our government for encouraging the burning up of our food supply.
The United States used to literally be the Breadbasket of the World. Nations the world over depended on the United States' grain exports to feed their citizens. Now the US is burning that food in the name of energy independence and is importing grain to feed its citizens. Widespread use of corn-based ethanol is a mistake, but it's not too soon to correct that error. We can stabilize the world's food supply by turning away from this foolishness and eating our food, rather than burning it.
After all, who will benefit from cleaner air if we all starve to death?
Monday, April 21, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Happy Tax Day!
It's tax day...the day that commemorates the government's bad spending habits and exploitation of the people for their own ends.
This year, millions of Americans are getting money back due to the so-called "economic stimulus package," a lame bi-partisan attempt by our federal lawmakers to bribe the American public and help the economy.
The notable thing about the economic stimulus package is that the Democrats have as much as admitted that money in the hands of the people really does stimulate the economy...a concept that they never can seem to understand any other time they talk about taxes. Of course, for the Democrats, the economic stimulus package was an opportunity to use the IRS as yet another welfare system, offering "tax rebates" to people who don't make enough money to have to pay income taxes.
But if money in the hands of average Americans stimulates the economy, and the Democrats have admitted it with this tax rebate, why haven't the Republicans pointed out the fact that maybe the Bush tax cuts really have been a good idea, and electing Clinton or Obama, who will do nothing but raise taxes and spending, would be a disaster for the US economy?
If a tax rebate will help to stimulate the economy, then lower taxes across the board, accompanied by lower government spending, will help to stabilize our economy and guarantee that the US can retain its superpower status over the long-term. The only thing the Democrats' socialist policies will get us is a quick trip into the dustbin of history...but for some reason, none of our politicians will admit as much, because they're too busy trying to bribe the public.
This year, millions of Americans are getting money back due to the so-called "economic stimulus package," a lame bi-partisan attempt by our federal lawmakers to bribe the American public and help the economy.
The notable thing about the economic stimulus package is that the Democrats have as much as admitted that money in the hands of the people really does stimulate the economy...a concept that they never can seem to understand any other time they talk about taxes. Of course, for the Democrats, the economic stimulus package was an opportunity to use the IRS as yet another welfare system, offering "tax rebates" to people who don't make enough money to have to pay income taxes.
But if money in the hands of average Americans stimulates the economy, and the Democrats have admitted it with this tax rebate, why haven't the Republicans pointed out the fact that maybe the Bush tax cuts really have been a good idea, and electing Clinton or Obama, who will do nothing but raise taxes and spending, would be a disaster for the US economy?
If a tax rebate will help to stimulate the economy, then lower taxes across the board, accompanied by lower government spending, will help to stabilize our economy and guarantee that the US can retain its superpower status over the long-term. The only thing the Democrats' socialist policies will get us is a quick trip into the dustbin of history...but for some reason, none of our politicians will admit as much, because they're too busy trying to bribe the public.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Global Warming Movement Screws the Little Guy
The "green" movement has gotten bigger and bigger in US politics, with public schools brainwashing our children and politicians grubbing for more and more power, all in the name of "saving the planet."
Now we're starting to see the real fruits of their labor.
The push toward biofuels has driven up food prices across the globe, the green movement is having a negative effect in third world nations the world over. With heightened awareness of ethanol, farmers have been growing more and more corn, with the crops going toward ethanol production instead of food. The shortage is driving up food prices and is creating social unrest in Haiti, the Phillipines, and many African nations whose nations depend on staples such as corn and wheat for their survival.
The American Left often accuses the US of arrogance, but now again we see that true arrogance resides on the Left. They have used the green movement to justify their continued push toward socialism, and now, in their blind push toward "saving the planet," they are driving up food prices for people who already had a hard time affording enough food to survive.
By utilizing corn-based ethanol, the green movement is advocating the literal burning of our food supply, to the detriment of millions of Americans, as well as millions more across the world who depend on American food production and low food prices.
Liberals say that the world hates us because we pissed off a bunch of Islamic radicals (who were pissed off anyway) when we invaded Iraq and liberated millions of oppressed people there. Now they're poised to give the world a real reason to hate America, when the Left makes food unaffordable in the name of clean air.
We should take care of our environment, but we cannot afford to sell our souls in order to decrease pollution. We need to approach environmentalism logically, not emotionally. We need to look at all sides of the issue before handing more and more power to the government in the name of environmentalism. We need to look at how our actions will effect others, as well as how they will effect our children. Will cleaner air truly help our children if they can't afford to eat?
Now we're starting to see the real fruits of their labor.
The push toward biofuels has driven up food prices across the globe, the green movement is having a negative effect in third world nations the world over. With heightened awareness of ethanol, farmers have been growing more and more corn, with the crops going toward ethanol production instead of food. The shortage is driving up food prices and is creating social unrest in Haiti, the Phillipines, and many African nations whose nations depend on staples such as corn and wheat for their survival.
The American Left often accuses the US of arrogance, but now again we see that true arrogance resides on the Left. They have used the green movement to justify their continued push toward socialism, and now, in their blind push toward "saving the planet," they are driving up food prices for people who already had a hard time affording enough food to survive.
By utilizing corn-based ethanol, the green movement is advocating the literal burning of our food supply, to the detriment of millions of Americans, as well as millions more across the world who depend on American food production and low food prices.
Liberals say that the world hates us because we pissed off a bunch of Islamic radicals (who were pissed off anyway) when we invaded Iraq and liberated millions of oppressed people there. Now they're poised to give the world a real reason to hate America, when the Left makes food unaffordable in the name of clean air.
We should take care of our environment, but we cannot afford to sell our souls in order to decrease pollution. We need to approach environmentalism logically, not emotionally. We need to look at all sides of the issue before handing more and more power to the government in the name of environmentalism. We need to look at how our actions will effect others, as well as how they will effect our children. Will cleaner air truly help our children if they can't afford to eat?
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Absolut Insults America...
The makers of Absolut vodka are running an ad in Mexico that shows a map of North America with its pre-Mexican-American war borders, where Texas, California, Nevada, Arizona, and New Mexico are still part of the nation of Mexico. The tag line is, "In An Absolut [read: perfect] World."
They are only running this ad in Mexico (go figure).
From the LA Times:
"[Favio] Ucedo, [creative director of a Lation ad agency] who is from Argentina, said: “Mexicans talk about how the Americans stole their land, so this is their way of reclaiming it. It’s very relevant and the Mexicans will love the idea.”
But he said that were the campaign to run in the United States, it might fall flat.
“Many people aren’t going to understand it here. Americans in the East and the North or in the center of the county -- I don’t know if they know much about the history.
“Probably Americans in Texas and California understand perfectly and I don’t know how they’d take it.”
Think about that: Mexicans still talk about how Americans stole their land...back in 1848. The United States has reached "from sea to shining sea" for 160 years, but Mexico still can't get over it.
What I truly don't get is this: Mexicans seem to have so much pride in their home country...and I have no problem with that: I'm a proud American, after all. But if Mexico were truly so great, why do millions of Mexicans try to flee their nation every year to come to America? The United States of America truly is the Land of Opportunity and is so much better than Mexico, and millions upon millions of Mexicans (even the ones marching in the streets of US cities waving Mexican flags) testify to that through their determination to come here to find jobs. Heck, illegal Mexican immigrants can make a better living in the US at substandard wages then they can earning standard wages down in Mexico.Personally, I think the whole "reconquista" movement is just a massive case of jealousy: we fought a war. The U.S. won. We signed a treaty. The Southwestern U.S. was claimed by the United States as the spoils of war, and Mexico ceded the territory. If Mexico wants it back, they can try to take it...but they won't do that, because the US military would kick their butts back into the stone age...AGAIN.
Shame on Absolut for trying to further encourage Mexicans to waste their time and energy on taking back what isn't theirs. Mexico is a nation riddled with problems, and the U. S. of A. has become a massive excuse for their politicians to ignore the problems within their own nation and shift blame northward. It's gone on long enough.
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